When the Miami Heat shipped six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors last February, one name at the top of their wish list never made it into the final deal: Jonathan Kuminga.
Heat officials pressed for the 22-year-old forward, but Warriors owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. refused to part with him, choosing instead to send Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson and a first-round pick. Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, confirmed on NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dubs Talk podcast that Miami tried to pry him away.
“The last memory Joe and Mike had of JK was him playing great,” Turner said. “So they weren’t going to just throw him in a deal, especially with Miami, when they knew that Miami had to move Jimmy. They’re not going to throw in Jonathan Kuminga. And trust me, the Heat asked for Jonathan Kuminga. They asked.”
Heat’s Interest Could Resurface
Getty Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors dunks the ball against the Chicago Bulls.
That refusal by Golden State might give the Heat another chance. Kuminga is in a contract standoff with the Warriors, who have raised their offer to three years and $75.2 million with $48.3 million guaranteed. He remains unmoved, holding out for a player option in the final year.
Turner argues his client’s demand is about fairness.
“If the Warriors want to win now, and if you want a guy that’s happy and treated fairly who is a big part of this team, you give him the player option,” Kuminga’s agent said on ESPN’s Hoop Collective podcast. “You lose a little trade value, but if it’s about the here and now, you give him that.”
If the two sides don’t reach a deal, Kuminga is prepared to sign his $7.9 million qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent next summer — a scenario that has rival teams, including Miami, monitoring closely.
Why Kuminga Matters
Kuminga’s breakout came last postseason, when he carried the Warriors in Stephen Curry’s absence. In four straight games against the Minnesota Timberwolves, he averaged 24.3 points on 55% shooting and nearly 39% from three. The Heat and other teams around the league took notice.
That performance also sparked interest from the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings, both of whom dangled sign-and-trade proposals this offseason. Miami, already familiar with his game from their original pursuit, could be well-positioned if Kuminga chooses to test free agency.
Heat’s Long-Term Picture
Photo by Luke Hales/Getty ImagesMiami Heat star Tyler Herro will miss the start of the season.
The Heat are already balancing big-picture roster questions. Wiggins, acquired in the Butler trade, is being evaluated as a long-term piece. Norman Powell is pushing for his first All-Star berth on a contract year after arriving in a summer trade. Tyler Herro, recovering from foot surgery, will miss the start of the season, making Miami’s depth at the forward spots even more critical.
In that light, Kuminga remains an attractive option: young, athletic, and capable of evolving into the kind of two-way forward Miami has coveted since Butler’s departure.
A Summer to Watch
For now, Kuminga remains in Golden State. But if the stalemate continues, the Heat — once rebuffed in their attempt to land him — could be among the first to circle back.
After all, as Turner noted, multiple teams are “salivating” at the idea of Kuminga hitting unrestricted free agency. Miami has already made its interest clear once. The question is whether the Heat will get a second chance to land their long-coveted target.
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