Dragged for long, the Golden State Warriors finally found a solution to their Jonathan Kuminga conundrum. The forward agreed to a two-year, $46.8 million deal, and because of this, the Dubs could finally make a flurry of moves, including the additions of Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, and Stephen Curry’s brother, Seth Curry! As expected, these were all held up during the summer because of their disagreement. However, while this deal might make many think that Kuminga is set to be a part of the franchise’s long-term plans, that might not be the case at all.

The front office is reportedly set to use this two-year deal, which includes the final year as a team option and a 15 percent trade kicker, as a way to explore their options. Although there’s a chance that he becomes an integral part of this roster, probable scenarios suggest the Golden State will use his full $22.5 million salary to look out for trades once he becomes trade-eligible on January 15th. But who does the franchise want in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga?

According to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, the Miami Heat superstar, Bam Adebayo, is someone whom the Dubs are closely monitoring. “Bam Adebayo would be at the top of the Warriors’ list of potential trade targets if he were to request a trade from the Heat, per @BrettSiegelNBA,” he reported. The 28-year-old three-time NBA All-Star is someone who, if he becomes available before the trade window closes in February, Mike Dunleavy and Co. will be willing to make a big splash on.

Adebayo has great chemistry with his former teammate, Jimmy Butler. Last season, despite Miami going through a tough campaign, the forward averaged 18.1 points along with 9.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists playing 78 games. That’s an impressive stat line to say the least, and it goes to show just how much value Bam Adebayo will add to this Warriors team, if added. However, that’s not all; there’s more upside to this deal.

If the Warriors sign Adebayo, the Heat will grant Jonathan Kuminga his wish to become a pivotal part of a roster and be under the spotlight. So, if Mike Dunleavy and Co. can reach an agreement with the Heat, it will be a win-win situation for them, as they’ll be able to add a great player while also being able to ship off Kuminga. However, arguably the biggest question in this deal is whether Bam Adebayo will be willing to leave South Florida or not.

Will Bam Adebayo be willing to join the Warriors?

Even though this sounds like the ideal deal for both the Golden State Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga, all of this won’t be possible unless Bam Adebayo expresses his interest in this trade. So, is the forward willing to team up with Jimmy Butler once again? Well, sorry to disappoint you, Dubs Nation, that doesn’t seem to be the case as of now.

This comes after Adebayo’s strong statement on Miami’s media day just a few days ago. The Heat superstar, who is entering his eighth NBA season, seemed to be more than happy with the franchise. While chatting with the reporters, he revealed that he’s been working on staying consistent on offense, besides embracing the role of becoming the cornerstone of the franchise.

In fact, Bam has already begun taking up leadership of the team by going hard on youngsters like Kel’el Ware. “I’m hard on Kel’el; he probably thinks I’m crazy sometimes. Some of it I was grandfathered into because of my experience with UD. If he doesn’t get it, it’s one of those things where the next day he’s right back at it,” he said. After hearing this and also several other statements from Miami Heat’s head coach, Erik Spoelstra, it would be far-fetched to assume that Bam Adebayo will request a trade from the franchise anytime soon.

More so, given that now Bam’s been given the role of the franchise player. So, while the Warriors have kept the doors open for the forward, it seems highly unlikely that they’ll be landing a deal with the Heat before the trade deadline. However, if there’s anything we’ve learned from the NBA last season, it is to always expect the unexpected.