The Phoenix Suns MIGHT Just Be In The Driver Seat For Jonathan Kuminga DESPITE Conflicting Reports!

The Phoenix Suns MIGHT Just Be In The Driver Seat For Jonathan Kuminga DESPITE Conflicting Reports!

On today’s show, the Jonathan Kaminga rumors just will not die. Who’s telling the truth? Who’s speculating more than actually reporting? Who do we believe? Let’s talk about it all next. You are Locked On Suns, your daily Phoenix Suns podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network. your team every day. What is up? Welcome in to Locked on Phoenix Suns. I’m Benjamin Garcia, host of the Ben Garcia Show, Mornings on YouTube, and a credentialed Suns media member. Thanks for making Locked On Sundays your first listen here on this Thursday night, Friday morning. I know you guys in the YouTube comment section love to go after me for my specific days. Uh don’t forget, Locked on Suns is free and available on all on all platforms, including YouTube. So, click that follow or subscribe button to do what thousands, dare I say millions of Suns fans have done already. Become an every dare and get locked onto the Phoenix Suns right here each and every day. Today’s episode is brought to you by Game Time. Download the Game Time app. Create a code and use code lock or create an account and use code locked on NBA for $20 off your first purchase. Joining me today, staff writer at Bright Side of the Sun and Suns Digest host Bruce Vez. Bruce, are you a first timer on Locked On Suns? Is that is are you are you a rook? Are you making your debut today? What’s up, man? I’m doing great. Thank you so much for having me on, Ben. Yes, I’m a longtime viewer now, someone who’s been lucky enough to be on the show. So, I’m very gracious to have this opportunity and can’t wait to break down the discussions that we have from all the news coming out on the Suns today. All I know is that you will be judged very harshly. The comment section is ruthless. Um, lucky you and John on Wednesday. I’m It’s the type of It’s It’s July, right? It’s the time of the year late or it’s late July, early August in a couple of days here where we’re talking about there being not a lot going on. That’s not the case for the Phoenix Suns. But like on Wednesday, you know, talked a little bit of speculation with Josh Giddy talking about how he just like him better than Jonathan Kaminga. I don’t know why the Suns aren’t doing that. But you guys, Jonathan Kaminga rumors last Sunday. Jonathan Kaminga rumors today. You guys don’t even have to work for when you guys are on the show. We’re just coming up with it on the fly. Appreciate you taking time, man. Um, before we get into the Jonathan Kaminga rumors, I’m kind of taking an assessment from each whatever staff writer from a certain organization or people on Twitter. Before we dive into the rumors that are hot and heavy on Jonathan Kaminga to potentially the Phoenix Suns, break it down for me, man. You don’t have to tell me if you want it to happen, if you don’t want it to happen. You can if you if you if you want to. However, what do you think of Kaminga’s fit in Phoenix? Just people know how I feel. It feels like it’s a heat check grab, meaning the Suns have hit a lot of three-pointers in the row in a row with making chicken salad out of chicken bleep this off seasonason and constructing a pretty good roster. It feels like they need to know when to say no. Unless, of course, we’ll get into the reports. He might be had for cheaper than we thought. Uh, but it just doesn’t feel like it’s a great fit for the Suns. Where are you at, man? Yeah, I think the fan base is truly kind of 5050 on this. And I think kind of in my assession of it as well, I ultimately am as well. When looking at Jonathan Kaminga, I think the fit personally isn’t the best. Like you really highlighted. He’s going to be coming into this team already into a little bit of a crowded wing room with young guys like Rashier Fleming who’s looking to develop potentially Oso Gadaro, Ryan Dunn, Dylan Brooks, the potential of running those double bigs and that could hinder his some of his development time. But also if he is going to be coming in and the Suns are going to be running this two playmaking guard uh you know offensive style with Jaylen Green and Devin Booker, what does that mean for Jonathan Kaminga on the ball? I know a lot of the concerns with him and Jimmy Butler in Golden State with the fit is that they play very similarly where both guys kind of need the ball in their hands to kind of run through that offense and he hasn’t been able to flourish over in Golden State because of that and really been to blossom within Steve Kerr and I don’t know if necessarily he’s going to be able to do that same thing because a lot of people have looked at especially you as well who’ve discussed this his shooting percentages aren’t that great the past couple seasons and that’s going to be something where if he is playing off the ball or is playing in a little bit of a role like that where Devin Booker and Jaylen Green or who’s the so-called point guard of this roster is going to be taking those commands and be initiating this offense. J uh Jonathan Kiminga might not have as much control in that. So ultimately, I don’t necessarily know if the fit is the best thing, but it all depends for me for the price tag because I think if the Suns are able to get Jonathan Kaminga for the right price tag, then it ultimately could benefit them better than the fit as their long-term plans that they could use Kaminga’s contract down the line could also give them a better spot at Outlook. You know, it’s a it’s a good transition to what we want to talk about. It was initially this morning, uh, Sham Shirania put out the tweet, Jonathan Kaminga and the Warriors are at ends when it comes to a a a deal. Uh, Golden State made a renewed push to retain Jonathan Kaminga per Sham Shirania, but the restricted free agent continues to decline a two-year, $45 million offer to the Warriors, insistent on a team option and waving a built-in no trade clause, sources tell ESPN. So basically saying the Warriors aren’t getting it feels like to me, let me let me tell you what this thinks to me is is it feels like the Warriors aren’t getting the offers clearly that they want for Jonathan Kaminga. And just so we’re clear, the Warriors asking price is kind of is a little insane. However, you ask for the moon and the stars and you settle on Stardust is where is where it kind of lands for me. But when I see them saying, “Listen, they’re trying to extend a hand out to to to Jonathan Kamingo. want you on a two-year $45 million deal. It feels a little bit like a slap in the face if you’re Jonathan Kaminga. This is someone who at minimum’s got 22.5 dollars. It seems like from the reporting that we’ve seen a year from both the Kings and the Suns and they’re asking him to take basically half that guaranteed money over two years. Um, how much if if let me just let me just say this. We won’t have to we don’t have to go into if he’s going to be a Phoenix Sun, but is he going to be a Golden State Warrior? Do you think there’s a world where they can put the toothpaste back in the tube with how like kind of toxic it’s been with the Jonathan Kaminga front? I haven’t even seen this with Josh Giddy. Where are you at in that? like how much leverage do the Warriors really have in all this? So, I I think the le the Warriors have the most leverage and I think that he will most likely be back just for the sheer factor that he is willing to go back on that qualifying offer that they already offered him to have that opportunity to become unrestricted free agent next year and kind of bank on himself. Now, personally, I think kind of similar to the Kevin Durant situation last off seasonason when they tried to get rid of him, they might be seeing some of that same resemblance with Jonathan Kamingo. to maybe kind of getting out of it ahead so you kind of can get the best value possible for him even if it’s not that shining star that they thought they could have gotten because you mentioned he was in packages last summer with PMsky for guys like Lorie Markin and I think they feel like they can get a star level type player like that with other assets for a guy in Jonathan Kaminga and I think that’s why they’ve been so reluctant to kind of get rid of him in that kind of space but I do think the Warriors would rather have Jonathan Kaminga back on that contract you mentioned that two-year $45 million deal The reporting from Sham Shirania was a little bit weird because he wrote in that article that the Suns were offering $70 more million dollars. And that might make you think like, oh, what is this bogus Suns front office doing again? Why are they writing the Suns wrong? But that contract was basically a one-year $22 million deal, the second year being a team option in which Jonathan Kaminga would either get treated to that season next year at the deadline and sign the extension with that team the next offseason or would have get decline the team would decline that option and he would get to get that opportunity. So, I think that wording was a little bit weird there as well. It’s also just basic math when I saw that that as well in the report where it was like Suns are offering I think I think it was exactly $60 million more uh uh than the Golden State Warriors in any deal. It’s like guys, yeah, of course it’s going to be that much. Did you see how much the Warriors were offering him? And then eventually it came out, well, the Suns got a deal on the table for four years uh $90 million if I’m doing my math correctly. $22 and half million dollars average annual value. I mean, we’re getting ahead of ourselves here, but that is exactly what you would do for for Kaminga. That changes everything. Before we get into the other reporting, um I’m not exactly sure what Jonathan Kaminga’s value is. Like, we’ll get to Brett Seagull’s reporting and we’ll get to Mark Spears’s reporting in on the other side of the break, but what exactly are the Warriors expecting to get back for Kaminga? I understand there are Suns fans out there. Like I I read a tweet today and I can’t remember who I saw it from, but it was basically saying like Suns fans must hate scores and I was like what? Jonathan Kaminga is an inefficient score. Like the reason why there’s a clear line about if you want Jonathan Kaminga on the Suns is there’s a there’s a clear riskreward. There’s a massive risk in giving Jonathan Kaminga a four years $120 million deal, four years, $100 million deal. There is some risk there. Even the $90 million, it’s less of a risk. It’s a tradable contract, but there’s still risk in it. The guy has not shown the ability to shoot the ball efficiently from the field. He hasn’t been someone who has been known as a defensive prowess guy. He gets to the rim pretty well. He does not necessarily finishes around the rim at like an elite level. and you see the raw talent and you can say he was probably misused in Golden State, but that’s not an obvious thing. So, when I see some of the reporting today of what the Suns could potentially give up or the things that we’ve talked about Oso and Grayson Allen, it’s like I don’t know how much more you’re going to get they think they’re going to get for Kaminga because of the fact that you also have to pay him. Really quickly and then we’ll go to break here. What do you think his value is? So, it’s really tough with all the RFAS, like you mentioned, they all have like a weird estimated value because they want the most. And I kind of view the contract of the $30 million that they’re seeking kind of like a superstar trying to chase that $50 million contract a couple of seasons ago where teams are very weary on giving that kind of unproven player, that kind of $30 million deal, similar to that Jaylen Green contract that some Suns fans were weary on kind of getting. I would say Kaminka’s value for me is around that 20 to $25 million range. 22 was where I said was kind of my max. I felt very comfortable with that. But I think his value across the league is probably someone that has some untapped potential to be that third star, maybe second star, but that’s where I kind of see him. Oh. Um, you see Kaminga I I mean I want to I want to go to break here and I will in a second, but you see Kaminga with the potential of being a third star on a championship winning team. I think there’s the possibility of him rising. I’m not and I and I and and just so we’re clear, I’m not saying that you’re saying that that’s what he’s going to become. You’re saying you see the potential of that cuz honestly, man, I see Kaminga at his best as a four. But I’ll let you continue with what you’re saying. Sorry. So, I I just I’ll preface this too. I’m always very high on potential as well with guys. kind of give the guy two or three opportunities to see where he pans out before I really full fully make an estimation. What the the seeing the ability of the OT GLeague and Knight guys, the kind of variance of them has been, you know, high and low with looking at guys like Aean Thompson and Assaur Thompson. Then looking at Buzzelis and Ron Holland, it can really go either way. So with Kaminga, he kind of falls into that pool. But I just going off the untapped potential, I could still see that because I think like you mentioned, the Warriors haven’t given him that best opportunity yet. And I think if he found an opportunity where he could maybe thrive, he could become a little bit more of an efficient player for them. Interesting. Um there’s more reporting uh on there’s there’s more reporting on that being one Jonathan Kaminga Brett Seagull came out and we actually got an offer that the Suns have allegedly put on the table and we’ll talk about the conflicting reporting and who do we believe and if the offer on the table is what is actually on the table if it would change our opinions on going after Kaminga. So let’s talk about that next. First, today’s show is brought to you by Game Time. 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So, it’s likely he mentioned it on ESPN, but it’s definitely something that came from him. He has mentioned the Phoenix Suns trade offer for Jonathan Kaminga is Royce O’Neal, Nick Richards, and four second round picks. Now, for the guy in the comment section telling me and Bruce that we don’t watch the Suns and we have no idea what’s going on, we’re very clear that the Suns don’t have four second round picks. However, the reason why I didn’t go after it and I wasn’t like going after Mark Spears for, you know, bad reporting or whatever because like behind the scenes, maybe it means they’re trading Grayson Allen and that’s like one of the ways that they’re staying out from under the apron. Maybe they have a deal, a corresponding deal where they trade G Grayson Allen, they get two or three second round pick picks, probably two, maybe three, and they’re using those to get uh uh or I guess it would have to be three, using those in a deal to bring Jonathan Kaminga back. So, we understand they can’t do it yet, but it’s not like the Suns hands are tied and they can’t make that happen for Grayson Allen, who does have some value on a contract that people don’t love. I think it’s $16.1 million a year that Grayson Allen’s going to be making for being more or less a shooter and an okay defender. Um, does this change your mind? I know we kind of teased it in the first segment, but if you can get like I did a whole show on Wednesday, Bruce, that was like, I just don’t get it. I don’t understand going after Jonathan Kaminga. It doesn’t fit a lot of the things that you’re trying to do. But I was working off of the idea that it could be a a $30 million year contract and it’s Grayson Allen and it’s Oso Igadaro. You go from it’s a risky move to you have to do this deal if any framework about this is correct. Royce O’Neal, Nick Richards, four second round picks because they went and go get extra ones in a corresponding move with for Grayson Allen. Like don’t don’t you agree, man? At that point, the risk is worth the reward. The fact that he’s doesn’t do everything that you’re asking him to do, it’s not like it’s a Bradley Beal deal where you can’t trade him. $22.5 million a year. It’s not something that it’s going to be hard to move off of. Uh your reaction to to Mark Spears on there? Yeah, I would 100% do this deal in a heartbeat if I’m the Phoenix Suns here. The Royce O’Neal like we’ve kind of mentioned and talked about and you guys have mentioned on your show when Brendan was here doesn’t really have much of a role here in Phoenix. Unfortunately, now with Brian Dunn and Dylan Brooks potentially playing that small forward and power forward position, there’s the possibility of running the double big out there. There’s Nigel Hayes Davis. There’s Rashir Fleming. To me, it doesn’t really make sense for Royce O’Neal. And if he wants to get his most opportunity out there, I think he’s going to have to go to a different spot. I think Golden State gives him that as that kind of wing he fits into their system. Nick Richards, I know they’ve been linked to Al Horford as well. They lost Kavon Looney. They need some help in the front court and adding either Nick Richards or maybe even Osuaro like you mentioned as well as a potential piece as I think he would be kind of the Patrick Baldwin Jr. that they struck out on a couple years ago into blossoming to being that big for them. I think that it helps them a lot because they save a lot of money in doing that deal, right? If they’re giving up Jonathan Kaminga for 22 and a half million and they’re taking on Grayson and uh Nick Richards is equal, I believe, value, but if they take on Oso and Nick Richards, they’re saving money, which has gives them more flexibility for Melton, Horford, other players as well, which I think allows them to be a little bit better. The Suns, I don’t know off my math calculations because they would be selling Grayson Allen for another second round pick and stuff. I don’t necessarily know where they would be, but the one benefit of that is they’d be getting Jonathan Kaminga for technically three contracts, freeing up two roster spots and still having the non-tax mid-level exception to go out there in free agency and bring one of those guys in or even give the guarantee to Jordan Goodwin and Jared Butler as those two contracts if they do like both of them going into training camp. Maybe even going into more training camp contracts and evaluating more. It just brings out the more possibilities to just evaluate people that are going to fit this identity. And I don’t think Grace Nen and Royce O’Neal like Nick Richards really kind of go into that for the Suns going into this season. Um I like how I mentioned before, it just it goes from a uh it’s a little risky. You’re sending out Oso. I actually think Oso Igadaro and Royce O’Neal. I’m not even sure the money works there. I’m sure it doesn’t, but Oso Agodaro and and Royce O’Neal. In fact, I’m like 100% sure it doesn’t. But either way, uh, those two guys would fit like really seamlessly with the Golden State Warriors, two high IQ guys. And I keep mentioning on the show, Oso Igadaro is a better passer than Cavon Looney. But he kind of reminds me of Cavon Looney, a smaller big who I think at his best can, you know, get to the rim at will, but do what Cavon Looney did best, a smaller big who just got offensive rebound after offensive rebound. So, I get why the Warriors would would want Royce O’Neal and I get why they would want Oso Gadaro. Nick Richards to me doesn’t really fit what they do and Royce O’Neal as well. Uh it’s just not enough I feel like to move on from Kaminga. However, uh Brett Seagull kind of poured uh cold water all over this about an hour ago. So, this was at 5:15 p.m. on July 30th. In conversations tonight with multiple sources close to the situation, nothing has changed regarding the Warriors stance on what the Suns have to offer for Kaminga. They don’t want long-term contracts nor hold much interest in Nick Richards. No offer involving 4 seconds. First off, if that’s true, and I do think Brett Seagull’s good at his job, he’s not, you know, Evan Cidery just news aggregating and telling everyone that Ryan Dunn is on the table. Um, it is it like that feels right. Right. And of all the reporting that we’ve heard, where would you say we’re at now? Like do you think the Suns I I guess I would say I guess I would frame it like this. Who do you believe? Is there a world I just Where does Mark where does Mark Spears get that from? Is he just making up stuff out of thin? Someone told him that. So I do think everyone This is kind of the way I like to piece it together. I think everyone is telling a bit of the truth and everyone is lying a little bit cuz everyone’s posturing, everyone’s trying to keep their side, everyone’s trying to prove that they’re right. What do you make of all the reporting? And uh uh what do you think’s the closest to be true? Cuz I’ll let you know who I’m who I’m I think is right in all of this. I I I think the person that’s the most wrong is the person who informed Mark Spears that the Suns had four second round picks because they all had they all had to do a quick Google search and find out that on Fanso it was not possible. And I love that Gambo kind of gave that clapback too. I did my own. It’s just it’s just a s simple Google search. I would side with Brett Seagull on this. He’s been tapped in with the Warriors for a lot of this stuff and he like you mentioned he’s maintained this s situation with Jonathan Kaminga dating back to not even when the Suns were involved but when the Kings were earlier involved when the Wizards were early involved when the Bulls were earlier involved he’s been on tap with this and has been stating multiple times that the most likely that Warriors and Kaminga will kind of continue this venture because the the value that they have for Jonathan Kaminga just isn’t out there and will he rise to that value because they don’t play him? I don’t necessarily know. I think they have to kind of give him some more leeway in that rotation to get the value that they want and that might, you know, poison them in the back going into next off seasonason if he leaves for nothing. I would personally side with Seagull here though. I think that makes sense for the Warriors not to want Grayson Allen because they have Buddy Heel who makes similar and is on a expiring contract and I think adding Grayson necessarily makes you have to move Buddy which then just makes another trade have to happen which is a little bit more complex for them. Royce uh Royce O’Neal would make sense. I think that their major hang-up though is one of the rookies. If they can’t get done, if they can’t get Oso Agodaro, they’re not going to want to do it. That’s where I think the four second round picks kind of came into play was maybe that would be comp uh complimentary of one of those guys in value. But I don’t think that the Suns even have enough picks to get there get the second round picks to do it. So, I don’t think they’ll be able to find that value because if they could have, they would have already, I think, moved Grayson and flipped him for another player or contract and done this deal already. I’m happy that you continue to preface that you know that the Suns don’t have four second round picks. Our listeners are very smart. They will tell you immediately, “Hey buddy, we got four second round picks. You you even watch the team.” So, you got to be very clear with our listeners here are very smart every day. I love it. They keep me on my toes. Um, let’s kind of let’s kind of let’s kind of take this into the uh let’s go to the final segment here and let’s talk about if Kaminga to Phoenix has really any legs at this point because you and I are both kind of the belief. Seagull’s probably right, but is it completely dead? I’m not so sure that’s the case. Let’s talk about that next. All right, let’s close it out. Bruce, I lean towards this, man. I don’t and I think you’re here. I think Jonathan Kaminga gets traded. I think he has to get traded. So, when I I I’ll say this first and then I’ll kind of get to my my my my son’s part of it. There’s no way he signs the qualifying offer. And there’s no way he signs a two-year $45 million deal. If I’m Kaminga, I’m doing everything I can to get out of Golden Stateland. And here’s the reason for it. It’s been four years. They still haven’t paid him. Uh uh uh or I’m sorry, they still haven’t played him. They have no interest in playing him. In high leverage games, Steve Kerr doesn’t trust him. You’re telling me that in April when there’s a do or die game, they’re fighting for the fifth seed or the fourth seed in the Western Conference or fighting to be in the playin, Steve Kerr is going to play Jonathan Kaminga who he does not trust because he has a handshake hush hush agreement that he’s going to play him and give him a starting role. I don’t buy that, man. And so what I think is going to happen is the Kings are going to get end up with Jonathan Kaminga because I just think they’re going to be willing to give up more. But what I also think is this. I would put it at like a 45% chance the Suns get Kaminga. I I would lean Kings are the favorite. I just don’t think that there’s a chance the Warriors can mend that relationship. It’s been four years. They showed you what they thought of you. And if you’re Kaminga, yes, you can take the $45 million a year over two years, but if they don’t play you, or it’s the same thing over the next two years, and people don’t see you significantly improve or only moderately improve, you’re never going to get that money back. You’re not going to get the $90 million a year down the road. He might end up making $110 million in his NBA career because NBA money is stupid. But for the Suns, I’m sorry, but for Kaminga, he if he gets one of these deals with the Kings or the Suns, which sounds like $90 million over four years, he could end up making $200 million in NBA in his NBA career. Like, money talks, man. If I’m Kaminga, I’m doing everything I can to get out of the Warriors. And I do think he favors Phoenix. And I think that’s what’s kind of making it tough because if there’s only one buyer and Kaminga is actively saying, I’m not really all that interested in the Kings, are the Kings really going to give up a first round pick? I don’t know, Carter and someone else to make it happen. They could and and bring him in, but if he’s not if he doesn’t want to be there, I that’s kind of where I go. The relationship with the Warriors is not great. Uh with the Kings, it’s I’m not so sure how much he wants to be there. And if he wants Phoenix, they’re the only suitor. And if that’s the case, why bid against yourself? So although at the end of the day I do think ultimately the Kings win this thing, I do think the Suns have a legitimate shot, man, and getting him for what they want him for because there’s just no market for him and the Warriors don’t want him. They keep saying they don’t want him and now they’re saying we’re going to mend the relationship. You know what that tells me? You’re not getting the offers on the table you thought you were going to get. I filibustered there. Uh what do you think about that? I I completely agree with you. I think that the Suns still should be in this conversation. I think still will remain in this conversation dating back to that even at last year’s trade deadline when they were interested in Jonathan Kaminga when trying to do that Durant swap. They’re still going to continue to be interested in Jonathan Kim I think throughout this entire process and still engaging with them like you mentioned I do think that the Kings most likely are the team to land but even when you look at that the Warriors and Kings have a little bit of a rivalry being obviously in the same division but you know kind of being the the two teams that are in California that aren’t LA and going back to the playoffs the past couple seasons. Who knows if they really want to go there. I don’t really see the fit there either. Like they’re the Kings are a mess in themselves anyways. They’re they’re they’re in them in the Chicago Bulls. People critique the Suns. Look at those front offices and see what they’re doing. But anyways, with Jonathan Kaminga, I do think that if the tides do come to where he it feels the Warriors feel like they don’t want to lose him for anything, they would accept a Grayson Allen. They would accept, you know, that Royce uh Royce O’Neal and Nick Richards type of package just to get at least something in return. and they don’t want to lose him for everything. But I do think the one caveat to the the uh Warrior signing is with him going on the qualifying offer, I think he can become an unrestricted free agent going into the next season. So, he might want to just bank on himself and kind of just go with that. But obviously, like we’ve mentioned here, the trials and tribulations of that is obviously if Steve Kerr is not going to play you, isn’t going to give you that playing time in game four of the playoffs, in game five of the playoffs where you’re necessarily needed. maybe if even if it’s not crunch time, but throughout the contest in general, it’s going to be very difficult for you to kind of showcase to a Brooklyn Nets or Detroit Pistons another team or potentially out there Kings or Suns down the line that you can make that impact. I do think though 100% the Suns are his preferred destination. I think if I think if we were ranking it, I would say Kings Sunsyear $45 million with the Warriors. There’s no way he signs that qualifying offer, man. the two years 45 million. You just got to kind of take it at that point, but that qualifying offer and that’s exactly what it is. You you take the I think it’s $6.8 million for the qualifying offer. Whatever it is, it really doesn’t matter. You take that offer and then next season you play on it. You bet on yourself. The Warriors have already showed you they’re not going to play you. They don’t believe in you in crunch time. So, I don’t think you can go in betting on yourself. It’s not like a DeAndre Aiden situation where like he was a restricted free agent. Obviously, the the Suns extended the qualifying offer. If DeAndre felt like cuz he got the if I’m not mistaken, DeAndre Aiden got the regular four-year $120 million max, not the rookie max extension with Escalators, which goes up every year percentage of cap. You know, for all you capologists out there, he could have signed the qualifying offer and then next year, you know, tried to get tried to get a bigger deal and it would have made more sense. It wouldn’t have made sense. But in this instance, it would have made sense that the Suns he knew the Suns were going to play him. If you’re Kaminga, they what he play in three game. I think he played like four games in the in the playoffs, but he played like not a lot of minutes in any of the games because they didn’t trust him. So, and with the question marks, man, I I’m someone’s going to have to tell the Warriors, I think they’re going to have to take their lumps here. I I just don’t know if you’re the Kings, man. if you give up Carter a first round pick and your offer blows the Suns out of the water that you would want a guy who who wants you but wants you more for your money. He’s a gold digging player in this instance. So I think that’s where I would land. Man, I have one question for you. Do you think there’s a surprise team that could potentially come out of this wooden works? Like Chicago Bulls was mentioned a while ago. Do you think potentially a team like that could kind of just kind of sprout out of nowhere? specifically if we got closer and closer like if we got to like middle of August and he still hasn’t signed yet probably but I think they’re in the same business as the Kings. It’s like, if you don’t really want us, why do we want you? Now, the the the Bulls, like, are you asking me like if the like a legitimate sleeper team is out there? Sure. But I’m going to act as if they’re a competent organization, not like the Celtics, not like the Hornets, who are awful organization, but like just competent, like the bare minimum. Is there a really dumb organization out there that could do something stupid? the Hornets, the Bulls, you know, those type of organizations that would just, you know, give up Demard Rose and Alex Caruso and uh who was the other guy and give up no and get no first round picks back in return. Like, yeah, there’s a dumb organization that can do that, but I think it’s a two team race. I I I I just I can’t see him going back to the Warriors, man. I just think that that is uh uh uh that’s a that’s just a a disaster waiting to happen. And like if you’re the Warriors, you’re still trying to win this year. The the value for Kaminga isn’t what you thought it was. Take your lumps, whether it’s with the Kings, whether it’s with the Suns, move on because you got bigger fish to fish to fry with Steph Curry this year. So, uh, that’s where I would land on that, man. You got anything else? Uh, last thing I’ll just say is agreeing with you on that last part. They can eventually just flip Grayson Royce or whatever they get Devin Carter from the Kings later down the line. So, I agree with you. I think if you’re the Warriors, regardless of the situation, don’t take it for nothing. be a little bit of a smart front office and at least take a deal. Yeah. Be like the Suns. Be a competent, smart franchise that doesn’t do anything wrong, doesn’t make hasty decisions, uh doesn’t hire their fraternity brother as the general manager. Uh all all that good stuff. U uh thanks. Sorry, I just every time I call Brian Gregory a fraternity brother, I get someone in the comment section saying Mattis and Brian Gregory didn’t even go to college like yeah buddy that’s the that’s just a joke. It’s just a joke. Uh thanks for making lockdown sons a part of your daily routine. Check us out on all social media platforms. Myself, Bruce, uh and the show Locked On Phoenix Suns. For those of you that don’t know, we are in our slow time if that makes sense. We’re doing three shows a week for the show Monday, Wednesday, Friday. So, with that being the case on YouTube, it’ll be up Sunday night, Tuesday night, Thursday night. So, you’ll be seeing this on Thursday night or uh if you’re audio listener, Friday morning, Wednesday, Monday morning. So, three shows a week. It was nice to have John on earlier the week, Bruce today. So for myself, Bruce, everyone watching Locked on Phoenix Suns, the million of the millions of listeners, I’ll talk to you guys on Monday.

Jonathan Kuminga to the Phoenix Suns? The NBA rumor mill is buzzing.

Trade talks heat up as reports swirl about the young Warriors forward potentially joining the Suns. Host Benjamin Garcia and guest Bruce Veliz (@SunsDigest) break down Kuminga’s fit in Phoenix, analyzing his value and how he’d mesh with Devin Booker and Jalen Green. They dissect various trade offers, including a reported two-year, $45 million deal from Golden State, and explore Kuminga’s future prospects. The duo also examines the Kings’ interest and debates whether the Warriors can salvage their relationship with the promising player.

Tune in for an in-depth look at Kuminga’s potential impact on the Suns and the complex factors shaping his NBA future.

0:00 Intro: Jonathan Kuminga rumors and speculation
5:00 Analyzing Kuminga’s fit with the Suns
11:19 Warriors’ leverage and Kuminga’s contract situation
17:20 Evaluating potential Suns-Warriors trade packages
23:21 Likelihood of Kuminga being traded to Phoenix
29:04 Ranking Kuminga’s potential destinations and outcomes

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