After finalizing a huge buyout with 3x All-Star Bradley Beal and opening up some payroll flexibility, the Phoenix Suns have wasted no time to become the latest team with interest in Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga.
But like others in the market for the restricted free agent, the Suns will not only have to offer Kuminga the contract he desires, but also provide the Warriors with legitimate assets in a sign-and-trade.
The Suns trade package for Jonathan Kuminga won't excite the Warriors
Base-year compensation rules essentially rules out Golden State taking back any Phoenix player making more than Grayson Allen's $16.9 million deal for next season, unless the Warriors are willing to give up other contracted players which would seem very unlikely.
That practically rules out the hilarious idea of Dillon Brooks heading to the Bay, while also putting a line through young guard Jalen Green and of course Devin Booker. It's also unlikely that Golden State will have too much interest in Allen who despite being an elite 3-point shooter, makes a lot for someone who would ideally be the seventh or eighth player in the rotation.
From there the next four players by salary are Royce O'Neale, Mark Williams, Khaman Maluach and Nick Richards. Williams and Maluach have been recently recently acquired in the last month, leaving O'Neale and Richards as an obvious combination that the Suns would assuredly offer in a Kuminga sign-and-trade.
As @gswcba outlined on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, a deal involving O'Neale and Richards for Kuminga could work financially for both teams despite each being hard-capped at the first apron.
Here's an example using the Suns as a trade partner.
— GSWCBA (@gswcba) July 17, 2025
Both teams get hard-capped at the first apron. Warriors for receiving 100% more incoming than outgoing, Suns for same reason + incoming S&T FA.
Leaves Warriors enough space for TMLE+Vet Min+Rookie Min and Suns for 2x Vet Min. pic.twitter.com/L4NTsCa4Ot
As much as this may work for the Suns and within the confines of the new CBA, it's not an entirely exciting package for the Warriors even though it would still allow them to pull off free agency moves for Al Horford and De'Anthony Melton.
O'Neale has been a very solid 3-and-D role player for a long time, having averaged 9.1 points and 4.7 rebounds last season on over 40% shooting from 3-point range. The 32-year-old would certainly be helpful, but like Allen would ideally only be a seventh or eighth man particularly if Moses Moody (a similar type player) can take another step in his development.
Richards averaged 9.5 points and 8.6 rebounds in his 36 games with the Suns following his arrival from the Charlotte Hornets in January. He might be an upgrade as a bigger and better version of Trayce Jackson-Davis, but he could still find himself as a third-string center behind Horford and Quinten Post given Golden State's need for spacing in the front court.
The Warriors would certainly need a future first-round pick included to even consider the deal, and even then it's not as if the Suns are stocked with such assets. It might be better than what the Sacramento Kings previously offered up with Dario Saric, Devin Carter and two second-round picks, but this is still an undesirable deal that Golden State are likely to reject.