Golden State Warriors Insist on Including Ryan Dunn in Any Trade Package from Phoenix Suns for Jonathan Kuminga in Offseason Talks
The NBA offseason continues to brew with trade speculation and potential blockbuster deals as teams retool their rosters in anticipation of the 2025-2026 season. One of the more intriguing storylines developing centers around the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns, two Western Conference teams with vastly different outlooks but intersecting interests. Central to this narrative is Jonathan Kuminga, the athletic forward for the Warriors, and a potential trade deal that could land him in Phoenix. However, Golden State has reportedly drawn a firm line in negotiations: Ryan Dunn must be part of any package the Suns propose for Kuminga.
The demand for Ryan Dunn has raised eyebrows around the league. Dunn, the Virginia Cavaliers product and Phoenix’s recent draft pick, is not yet a household name among NBA fans. However, he’s widely respected in front offices for his elite perimeter defense, high motor, and emerging offensive skill set. For a Warriors team seeking to reload rather than rebuild, acquiring a young, defensively oriented wing like Dunn could be a crucial piece in reshaping their identity after years of relying on high-octane offense.
Golden State’s insistence on Dunn underscores how highly they value his upside, even in a potential deal involving one of their own promising young stars. Jonathan Kuminga, after showing significant flashes of brilliance during the 2024-25 season, became one of the Warriors’ most talked-about assets. His athleticism, improved scoring efficiency, and ability to defend multiple positions made him a candidate to either become the next franchise cornerstone or the centerpiece in a blockbuster trade. The Warriors seem open to the latter — but not without fair compensation, and in their eyes, that compensation must include Dunn.
Sources close to the negotiations suggest that the Warriors’ front office sees Dunn as a seamless fit with their current and future roster configuration. With Draymond Green aging and Andrew Wiggins’ inconsistency continuing to raise concerns, Golden State is looking to add players who can bring consistent defensive intensity and contribute without needing a high usage rate. Dunn checks those boxes. He’s not just a speculative draft prospect — his game is built on fundamentals that translate to NBA success. His defensive metrics during his time at Virginia were eye-popping, leading many scouts to label him one of the best on-ball defenders in the 2024 draft class.
Phoenix, on the other hand, has a complicated decision to make. The Suns are under pressure to maximize the current window with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. After another disappointing postseason showing, team executives are keenly aware that time is running out. Adding Kuminga, a versatile and physically gifted forward, could inject some much-needed youth and energy into their lineup. His ability to play alongside Durant or eventually take over his role could be seen as a long-term win for Phoenix. However, including Ryan Dunn in such a trade would cut into the Suns’ future depth and defensive flexibility, something they can’t afford to ignore.
This standoff reflects the broader strategic differences between the two franchises. The Warriors are trying to transition from the Stephen Curry era without completely tearing down their foundation. They are banking on players like Brandin Podziemski, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and possibly Ryan Dunn to form the next core. The Suns, conversely, are fully committed to win-now mode. They have mortgaged their future draft capital in previous trades, leaving them with fewer developmental pieces. Dunn represented one of the few young assets on a roster overloaded with veteran stars and bloated contracts.
In light of this, the Suns’ hesitation is understandable. Yet, from Golden State’s perspective, giving up Kuminga — a 22-year-old who just averaged 16 points and 5 rebounds per game in limited minutes — without receiving a high-upside young player in return would be shortsighted. They know what they’re giving up, and they’re determined not to settle for less than a player who can immediately contribute and grow into a larger role. Dunn, though unproven at the NBA level, has shown enough promise to warrant that belief.
The front office dynamics also play a role. Mike Dunleavy Jr., in his second year as general manager for the Warriors, is under pressure to make bold but smart moves. The Warriors missed the playoffs last season, and questions about roster construction and future direction are mounting. Trading Kuminga without a clear return of future value or role-specific utility would be a risky proposition for a GM still working to establish his reputation. Including Dunn helps mitigate that risk. It gives Golden State a defensively reliable player who could thrive in their motion offense and switching defensive schemes.
On the Suns’ side, James Jones and the front office are walking a fine line between preserving assets and pushing for contention. The idea of pairing Kuminga with their star trio is enticing, but the cost of giving up Dunn may be too steep — especially if they believe Dunn can eventually become a rotation mainstay who covers up some of the team’s defensive deficiencies. There’s also concern about roster balance. Acquiring Kuminga without a solid wing defender to replace Dunn might leave Phoenix even more vulnerable on the perimeter, something that has plagued them in playoff matchups against elite wings.
Another complicating factor is salary matching. Kuminga is still on a rookie-scale deal, which makes him a highly tradable asset. Dunn, being a rookie, is also inexpensive, which means the Suns would likely need to include another player or two to make the deal financially viable under the league’s new collective bargaining rules. Names like Nassir Little or Keita Bates-Diop have surfaced as possible salary fillers, though neither would drastically move the needle for the Warriors. Golden State’s emphasis remains squarely on Dunn.
It’s also worth noting that Stephen Curry reportedly supports keeping a competitive roster around him and isn’t interested in a full-scale rebuild. Including Dunn in a trade package could signal to Curry and the fanbase that the front office is committed to surrounding him with players who can help the team win now while still planning for the future. The Warriors’ core is aging, but the goal isn’t to tank — it’s to evolve. Getting younger, faster, and more defensively reliable is part of that equation, and Dunn symbolizes all three attributes.
If the Suns remain reluctant to include Dunn, the Warriors may look elsewhere for trade partners. Kuminga’s value is still high around the league, particularly among rebuilding teams with extra draft picks or young wings. The Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets, and even the Toronto Raptors have all been loosely connected to Kuminga in past trade rumors. But Phoenix offers a rare situation where both teams could, in theory, benefit immediately. The sticking point is whether Phoenix is willing to give up the kind of future-oriented player that Golden State wants.
In trade negotiations, leverage often comes down to need, and right now, Phoenix may need Kuminga more than Golden State needs to move him. That gives the Warriors some room to dig in their heels and make demands, especially when the player they’re targeting — Dunn — fits so well with their system and strategic vision. Whether the Suns blink or walk away remains to be seen, but it’s clear the Warriors won’t budge easily.
As training camps approach, the urgency to finalize rosters will only increase. Teams want clarity heading into September, and deals that have been in discussion throughout the summer often find resolution just before camps open. If this particular negotiation follows that path, it could set a major tone for both franchises: the Warriors reasserting their commitment to a hybrid youth movement and competitive push, and the Suns doubling down on their championship-or-bust approach.
The ball is now in Phoenix’s court. Do they include Ryan Dunn and take a gamble on Kuminga’s star potential, or do they hold onto their defensive gem and search elsewhere for roster upgrades? Either way, this is more than just a player-for-player swap. It’s a statement of direction for both franchises, and whoever blinks first could shape the Western Conference landscape for years to come.
