Jonathan Kuminga may have signed a 2-year $48.5 million deal to help the Warriors. However, the relationship between the two parties remains murky. The feeling in the air is one of an inevitable trade, preferably before the deadline. Finding a suitor for a contract designed to be likely torn up next season may be hard, but not if the concerned team has been after JK in the past. Moreover, the Warriors could get a familiar face in return. But how feasible is all of this?

According to Sam Vecenie, the Miami Heat’s Andrew Wiggins could be a sought-after player during the season. Notably, he feels the title contenders could thrive with the former No. 1 pick as their wing. “If the Warriors were to move Kuminga for Wiggins again, and you get like the shooter spacer into the lineup with Curry, Draymond, Butler, and Horford, that’s like a pretty dangerous team immediately in my opinion,” Vecenie said on the Game Theory podcast.

“Like, I actually wonder if Wiggins is the name that like could swing the picture a little bit more than what people would anticipate, just given the fact that he is a shooter. He’s become a really good defender. Like all of those things, you know, we’ve seen him play a big role on title teams before, and I wonder if he’s the guy that could do it this time, too,” the podcast co-host continued.

They spoke about Wigs’ bounce-back season and how a player with his abilities is “really hard to come by in this league.” His name did come up in trade talks over the summer. The Lakers apparently had an interest in making a move for the two-way veteran.

In that sense, the Bay Area side could kill two birds with one stone!

Steve Kerr has continually said he can’t feature Jonathan Kuminga heavily because it compromises floor spacing. Andrew Wiggins saw a resurgence in Miami, averaging 19 points in 17 games last season for the Heat. He also shot 36% from deep. If they manage to acquire him from Miami, it would hurt the Lakers while improving the Warriors’ chances of winning a championship. The Warriors will have to add more to Jonathan Kuminga, though.

But with the Heat’s long-time interest (dating back to December) in reportedly wanting to acquire the 22-year-old, he can undoubtedly be the centerpiece of a package for Wiggins. But will the Miami side wish to part ways?

The Heat may have a steep asking price for Andrew Wiggins

Everyone knows the story of Andrew Wiggins landing in Miami. The Warriors saw an opportunity to upgrade and extend their championship window with Steph Curry by getting Jimmy Butler on board. That came as a shock to Wiggins. So, given the nature of the exit, he may not be open to returning to the Dubs.

But he doesn’t have a no-trade clause like LeBron James. The decision lies with the Heat. It was reported that they had plans to splurge in the 2026 offseason. But with most stars on deals, it’s unlikely for them to hold those expectations. But they could still position themselves for a major roster shake-up.

Notably, Andrew Wiggins’ $30.2 million player option next season could be used as a trade asset…

The franchise also signed Nikola Jovic to an extension. Albeit the dynamic forward could be seen as an integral part of the future. Nonetheless, the Heat have several contracts they could use to welcome a franchise cornerstone to join Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo.

Jonathan Kuminga doesn’t move the needle that much when it comes to hunting for a championship. Moreover, Andrew Wiggins’ sublime performances for the Heat make him invaluable to the franchise as it tries to stay competitive.

With Herro’s recent injury, Miami may not look to move on from one of its core players, despite him assuring he’ll be “back in the next eight to 12 weeks.”

I think it comes down to what the Heat decides. When reporting about the Lakers’ potential interest in Wigs, Marc Stein had emphasized, “My sense is that the Lakers would have interest if the Heat, in coming weeks or months, decide to prioritize financial flexibility and look to reduce payroll.”

Sam Vecenie brought forward a similar sentiment in his podcast. He said, “The reason that I think Miami probably would look to move him at some point is that they can get way more flexible if they get off of his player option for next year.”

The trade could still happen. However, it has several obstacles that complicate business. If both teams can manage to strike a deal without compromising their vision, Andrew Wiggins could be back with the Warriors. However, it’s just hard to see them being on matching timelines.