Royce O’Neale Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Jonathan Kuminga Rumors: AfroBasket, Suns, Kings, Trade Talks

July 31st, 2025 at 7:37am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

With Jonathan Kuminga‘s negotiations in restricted free agency seemingly set to drag on into August, the Warriors forward will likely have his international commitments affected by the stalemate.

As Marc Stein of The Stein Line details (via Twitter), the ongoing talks between Kuminga’s representatives and Golden State are expected to prevent him from suiting up for the Democratic Republic of Congo in this year’s AfroBasket competition, which tips off on August 12 in Angola. Kuminga had initially been listed on the team’s roster ahead of the tournament.

The primary reported suitors for Kuminga at this juncture are a pair of the Warriors’ Pacific Division rivals, the Suns and the Kings.

While Phoenix has legitimate interest in Kuminga, it’s unclear whether the club has the sort of young talent or draft assets to get a deal done. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix (Twitter link) reports that second-year Suns forward Ryan Dunn has never been discussed in trade talks and insists that he will not be included.

Andscape’s Marc J. Spears, meanwhile, hears that Kuminga is intrigued by the possibility of playing for the Kings.

“He wants to go (to Sacramento),” Spears said during an NBA Today appearance on Wednesday (Twitter video link). “The Kings are offering a starting spot, power forward, next to Keegan Murray, next to [Domantas] Sabonis. He’s talked on a zoom call with Scott Perry, the GM; B.J. Armstrong, the assistant GM; and also with their head coach [Doug Christie]. So he’s in, he wants to go there.”

Spears also shared some details on what a Suns offer for Kuminga might look like. “I heard they’re offering Royce O’Neale and four seconds and Nick Richards,” he said.

For what it’s worth, Phoenix only currently controls three second-round picks.

ESPN’s Shams Charania also appeared on NBA Today on Wednesday (Twitter video link) and suggested that Sacramento has been open to including a protected first-round pick in its sign-and-trade offer for Kuminga. Charania added that both the Kings and Suns have been willing to go up to about $90MM over four years for the 22-year-old. For now, Golden State has rejected sign-and-trade proposals from both teams.

“(The Warriors) want a good player, they also want an unprotected first-round pick, a good first-round pick,” Charania said. “The Sacramento Kings, I’m told, have actually offered a first-round pick in those conversations – it’s been a conditional first-round pick – as well as a potential rotation player. But the Warriors have wanted to the Sacramento Kings to give them an unprotected – fully – first-round pick.”

Phoenix doesn’t presently have the ability to trade a first-round pick.

Luke Adams contributed to this story.

Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Beal, Suns, CP3, Bucks, Lillard, Heat

July 3rd, 2025 at 10:48pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns and Heat had exploratory talks this week about the possibility of a Bradley Beal trade, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). However, those discussions “ultimately collapsed,” resulting in a rising belief that the veteran guard will ultimately be bought out by Phoenix.

If the two sides do end up working out a buyout agreement, expect the Heat to show interest in signing Beal as a free agent, per Fischer and Stein, who say the Bucks would also be interested in adding the three-time All-Star if he reaches free agency.

Here’s more from The Stein Line duo:

In addition to looking more seriously at a possible Beal buyout, the Suns have also engaged in conversations with teams about various trade scenarios involving center Nick Richards and wings Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale, Stein and Fischer say.
After turning away interest from the Mavericks and Hornets earlier in free agency, Chris Paul continues to consider the Suns and Clippers. Stein and Fischer confirm he’s also receiving interest from the Bucks, who have been on the lookout for another point guard in the hopes of filling the sizable hole left by Damian Lillard‘s Achilles injury (and impending release). ESPN’s Shams Charania said during a Thursday SportsCenter appearance that Paul, who is known to prefer playing closer to his family in Los Angeles, spoke to Bucks officials on Wednesday (hat tip to Scott Polacek of Bleacher Report).
Speaking of Lillard, Stein and Fischer classify the Heat‘s interest in signing the Oakland native as “serious,” but acknowledge that the injured star will likely be in no rush to sign his next contract.
The Pacers, Kings, and Pelicans are among the other teams who remain on the hunt for another point guard, Stein and Fischer write.

Suns Notes: Frontcourt, Allen, O’Neale, Micic, Martin

June 23rd, 2025 at 2:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Expect the Suns to focus on adding frontcourt help in the draft and during free agency, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), who points out that the team could really use a power forward after agreeing to trade Kevin Durant to Houston and also needs either a starting or backup center.

As a result of adding Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks in the Durant deal, Phoenix’s roster is heavy on wings, with Green now part of a group of shooting guards that includes Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, and Grayson Allen, while Brooks joins Royce O’Neale and Ryan Dunn at small forward. Cody Martin, who has a non-guaranteed $8.7MM salary for next season, could also be part of that mix if the Suns decide to hang onto him.

The Suns have gauged the trade market for Allen and O’Neale, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports, so moving one of them could help clear the logjam on the wing.

Up front, meanwhile, Phoenix likes both Nick Richards and Oso Ighodaro, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports, and the expectation is that Richards will have his $5MM salary guaranteed, per Scotto. However, Richards probably fits better as a backup than a full-time starter, while Ighodaro is entering his age-23 season and still needs time to develop.

Unless they’re able to shed significant salary, the Suns will only be able to offer minimum-salary contracts to free agents, but they now control four draft picks this week, including Nos. 10 and 29 in round one.

Here’s more on the Suns:

Within a story that extensively breaks down the Durant trade and its impact on the rest of the Suns’ roster, Bourguet says he expects the team to decline Vasilije Micic‘s $8.1MM team option and suggests Martin could be an odd man out as well for cap/tax reasons, though the club does like him. Scotto confirms that Phoenix will likely turn down Micic’s option and waive Martin unless one of their salaries is needed for a trade.
In that same PHNX Sports story, Bourguet notes that Brooks will bring some “swagger” to the roster that the Suns have lacked since Jae Crowder and Chris Paul departed, confirms that the plan is to hang onto Green rather than flipping him to another team, and briefly explores what the front office will do with Beal, since finding a trade for him feels unlikely.
The Suns had won between 45 and 64 games in the four seasons prior to 2024/25, but the Durant trade feels like it could be the beginning of a difficult stretch for the franchise, writes Doug Haller of The Athletic.
Eric Koreen and James Jackson of The Athletic teamed up to discuss what the Durant trade means for Phoenix going forward, with Jackson expressing surprise that the Suns weren’t able to extract either more young talent beyond Green or additional draft assets besides this year’s No. 10 overall pick.

Latest On Kevin Durant

June 14th, 2025 at 5:13pm CST by Rory Maher

Although the Suns cannot aggregate salaries in trades, they have been exploring ways to move below the second tax apron to ease some of the restrictions they’re currently facing. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), as part of the Kevin Durant trade talks, Phoenix’s front office has larger constructs involving Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale in an effort to reduce the team’s payroll.

Dropping below the second apron is believed to be one of Phoenix’s “primary objectives” in a Durant deal, Fischer writes. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Suns are trying to cut costs for financial reasons, they just recognize how difficult it is to operate over that threshold in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, Fischer explains.

Sources tell Fischer that Phoenix hopes to acquire “starting-level talent” in exchange for Durant, with “quality draft capital” another desired part of the return package. Fischer hears the Suns have been evaluating first-round prospects “in the belief they will obtain at least one meaningful selection” in the 2025 draft.

While Shams Charania of ESPN reports that the Rockets are one of the teams most seriously engaged with the Suns for Durant, Fischer says Houston is “exceedingly reluctant” to meet Phoenix’s asking price. According to Fischer, the Suns view the Rockets as their ideal trade partner due to their combination of young talent and draft picks — Houston controls Phoenix’s first-rounders in 2025 (No. 10), 2027 and 2029.

Fischer adds that the Rockets’ front office recognizes this advantage and is “believed to be willing to go only so far” in its offer to Phoenix, indicating that the Suns might get more assets elsewhere.

League sources tell Fischer that the Timberwolves and Heat are the teams most frequently talked about as potential destinations for Durant. Fischer adds that the Spurs and Rockets have been cited by league executives as having interest in acquiring Durant, along with the Clippers and Raptors “to a lesser extent.”

Fischer also speculates that Durant would enjoy the idea of returning to Texas — where he played collegiately — either with San Antonio or Houston. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 previously stated that the Texas teams may be atop Durant’s wish list.

That could be an important consideration because Durant holds a $54.7MM expiring contract. Fischer says that front offices are considering whether it’s worth the gamble to trade for Durant with no assurances that he will re-sign after next season.

Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets that there have been discussions between Minnesota and Phoenix regarding Durant, but “nothing is close” right now. Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reported on Wednesday that the Heat are interested in dealing for Durant, but “only at the right price.”

Ian Begley of SNY.tv considers it a “long shot” that the Knicks will get involved (Twitter link), echoing other reports from this week. Begley also points out that finding a starting center is among the Suns’ offseason priorities, and trading Durant may be their best opportunity to make that happen.

Fischer considers Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert the best center likely to be available in a Durant deal, but states that it’s difficult to create a workable trade scenario between the Wolves and Suns, who are both operating above the second apron for now. He points out that Minnesota will fall below the second apron if Naz Reid and Julius Randle both decline their player options, and Reid seems almost certain to do so. Otherwise, a trade between the two clubs would likely have to be agreed upon this month but not become official until after the moratorium is lifted in July.

Miami may be more realistic, according to Fischer, who notes that the city was on Durant’s list when he first asked the Nets for a trade. Fischer suggests that Andrew Wiggins and Duncan Robinson are among the players the Heat can send to Phoenix to help match salaries, and they have three first-rounders that can be moved: No. 20 this year, along with their picks in 2030 and 2032.

Sources tell Fischer that Miami was unwilling to part with Kel’el Ware and Jaime Jaquez at the trade deadline, and he speculates that its willingness to include Ware could be a “true swing factor” in a Phoenix deal.

The Spurs and other teams have been reluctant to surrender significant draft capital for Durant, according to Fischer, who reports that the Suns have limited interest in the players San Antonio has offered so far. Fischer states that it’s believed the Spurs are keeping Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft off limits and are only offering players such as Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes.

Arthur Hill contributed to this report.

Cavaliers, Hawks Have Discussed Hunter, LeVert

February 5th, 2025 at 8:39am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers have expressed interest in Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter, multiple sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link), confirming a report from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto. According to Fedor, the Cavs’ talks with Atlanta have centered around swingman Caris LeVert.

Due to the difference between Hunter’s current cap hit ($21.7MM) and LeVert’s ($16.6MM), Cleveland would have to send out at least one more player in any deal involving the Hawks forward to avoid surpassing the first tax apron, according to Fedor, who suggests that rookie Jaylon Tyson ($3.3MM) would be one possibility. Atlanta may also seek draft assets — Cleveland controls its 2031 first-round pick, along with a few second-rounders.

According to Fedor, the Cavaliers have had Hunter on their radar for years, dating back to the 2019 draft when he went fourth overall to Atlanta, one pick ahead of Cleveland at No. 5. Sources tell Cleveland.com that the Cavs have done “extensive” homework on the 27-year-old, frequently inquiring over the years about his availability and what it would take to acquire him.

Hunter is having the best year of his career in 2024/25, averaging 18.9 points per game on .459/.386/.858 shooting through 36 outings (28.5 MPG). He’s also the sort of long, athletic wing that the Cavaliers have long been seeking and is close friends with guard Ty Jerome dating back to their days at the University of Virginia, Fedor notes, so Cleveland would be confident about his fit.

As Fedor reports, the Cavs have also checked in on several other possible trade candidates, such as Cameron Johnson (Nets), Jerami Grant (Trail Blazers), Javonte Green (Pelicans), Cody Martin (Hornets), Chris Boucher (Raptors), Julian Champagnie (Spurs), Obi Toppin (Pacers), and Royce O’Neale (Suns). However, the front office is wary about messing with the chemistry of a team that sits atop the Eastern Conference with a 40-10 record.

Cavs players and head coach Kenny Atkinson discussed that aspect of the trade deadline on Tuesday, per Fedor.

“You have to listen,” Atkinson said. “You’d be really not smart if you didn’t listen and talk about how you can get better. It’s the business we’re in. We’re really good, obviously, but it could always be something out there that gets us to the next level. My one thing to [president of basketball operations] Koby [Altman] is we have great chemistry right now and a great culture, great locker room culture. That’s super important to me. If it is a trade, if it is a buyout, it’s got to be the right fit.”

“If you take away somebody, especially somebody in the locker room, a locker room presence, it’s gonna disrupt it,” center Jarrett Allen said. “At the end of the day, we’re all close to each other. But as you know, that’s how things go.”

Both Allen and Donovan Mitchell said on Tuesday that they believe the Cavaliers have enough to be a title contender. Still, the front office is keeping an eye out for ways to make upgrades. Sources tell Fedor that Cleveland is also considering the idea of making a small trade or two around the margins, with another big man among the possibilities the club is weighing.

If the Cavs don’t make a move at the trade deadline, they’ll likely take a look at the buyout market, according to Fedor, who points to Lonzo Ball as a player to watch, though a Tuesday report suggested the Bulls won’t be eager to buy out Ball if they hang onto him through the deadline. Torrey Craig, who was waived by Chicago earlier this week, is another player to monitor, Fedor adds.

Scotto’s Latest: Warriors, Vucevic, Centers, Connaughton, Suns

January 16th, 2025 at 12:24pm CST by Luke Adams

After telling reporters earlier this week that he doesn’t want the Warriors to make a “desperate” trade that compromises the team’s long-term future for short-term gain, Stephen Curry clarified on Wednesday that his comments don’t mean he’s content playing on a .500 team that’s not trying to improve.

“Anyone who thinks I’m OK being on an average basketball team is insane,” Curry said, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “Take whatever I said, I still stand on it. But that doesn’t mean we’re not in a situation where we are trying to get better, make appropriate moves that help you do that. (General manager) Mike (Dunleavy Jr.) knows that. We’ve talked about it. That’s the expectation from me. It doesn’t mean you’re reckless.”

As Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports, Dunleavy and the Warriors are indeed exploring their options on the trade market, with a focus on upgrades in the frontcourt rather than on the wing. Golden State has looked into centers like Nikola Vucevic, John Collins, Jonas Valanciunas, and Robert Williams, according to Scotto, who says the odds of the team making a trade for a forward like Jimmy Butler or Cameron Johnson have decreased.

While the Warriors want to give Curry and Draymond Green a chance to compete for another title, they won’t mortgage their future to make it happen, Scotto writes, adding that the front office still remains reluctant to part with forward Jonathan Kuminga.

Here’s more from Scotto:

Following up on the trade market for centers, Scotto says some NBA executives believe the Bulls could land a first-round pick in a deal for Vucevic, who is having a strong season in Chicago. The Wizards and Trail Blazers are expected to command second-rounders for Valanciunas and Williams, respectively, while Collins’ value is hard to pin down, Scotto notes, given the $26.6MM player option the Jazz big man holds for 2025/26.
Rival executives who spoke to Scotto are monitoring Bucks wing Pat Connaughton as a trade candidate, since Milwaukee could duck below the second tax apron and create more roster flexibility by moving off of his $9.4MM salary. Connaughton is having a down year and holds a $9.4MM player option for ’25/26, so the Bucks would have to attach draft picks and/or cash to move off of him. While the Bucks can’t trade cash as long as they remain above the second apron, they could do so in a trade that moves them below that threshold.
After trading for Nick Richards, the Suns are expected to continue gauging Jusuf Nurkic‘s trade market and trying to figure out a Butler deal as they seek out win-now upgrades, Scotto writes. Scotto points out that role players Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen would both have positive value as trade chips, but there has been no indication that Phoenix would have interest in moving either player.

Pacific Notes: Fox, Kings, Warriors, O’Neale

January 12th, 2025 at 2:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox is available to play on Sunday against Chicago, tweets Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee.

Fox, who last suited up on January 3, rejoins a red-hot Sacramento squad that has won six straight games in total, including the past three without him. James Ham of The Kings Beat considers whether the team’s recent run of success is sustainable.

Here’s more from around the Pacific Division:

The Kings are spending far less time scrimmaging so far under new head coach Doug Christie, which has been well received by the players, Biderman writes for the Sacramento Bee. “Talking to some of the guys who play heavier minutes, they definitely feel more fresh to start games,” Kings sharpshooter Kevin Huerter said. “I think even mentally, just the grind of the season, we’re already in January, and you get to this point in the season, you play a lot of games. As much as it’s a physical grind, it’s a mental grind. Being halfway there and needing every win, in some ways we pump the brakes a little bit, but still trusting us to get our work in.”
After missing games on Thursday and Friday for personal reasons, Andrew Wiggins will be back in action for the Warriors on Monday in Toronto, head coach Steve Kerr told reporters today (Twitter link via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN). Stephen Curry and Draymond Green practiced on Sunday and are also set to return on Monday after sitting out Friday, while Gary Payton II (calf strain) is listed as questionable to play for the first time since Christmas Day. Brandin Podziemski (right abdominal injury) will remain out, Kerr said.
Suns forward Royce O’Neale (left ankle sprain) appears on track to return from a six-game absence on Sunday vs. Charlotte. He has been upgraded to probable, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.

Suns’ Royce O’Neale Out For At Least 10 Days

December 31st, 2024 at 11:52am CST by Luke Adams

Suns forward Royce O’Neale, who sprained his left ankle during Saturday’s game in Golden State, will be reevaluated in 10 days, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic).

The injury occurred during the final minute of the second quarter, with O’Neale defending Dennis Schröder as the Warriors guard drove to the basket. O’Neale blocked Schröder’s shot, but landed awkwardly after doing so, turning his left ankle and falling to the floor (video link).

O’Neale has primarily been part of Phoenix’s second unit this season, but he has been one of the team’s most effective rotation players, averaging 10.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while making 44.1% of his 5.7 three-point attempts per night. He’s also one of the Suns’ most versatile defenders and ranks third on the roster with 817 total minutes played this season, so the club will miss him during his absence.

The Suns, who have fallen to 15-16 on the season, have been banged up lately, but should get some reinforcements as early as Tuesday, with guards Devin Booker and Grayson Allen seemingly on the verge of returning to action.

While Booker and Allen could play some of the minutes that would have been O’Neale’s, the forward’s absence will likely also result in increased roles for defense-first players like Ryan Dunn and Josh Okogie. Dunn has started the past three games, while Okogie was the first player off the bench in the second half of Saturday’s contest and logged a season-high 31 minutes.

Pacific Notes: Lakers, O’Neale, Booker, Allen, Kuminga

December 30th, 2024 at 9:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lakers star LeBron James had a lot of good things to say about his new teammates, Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, Jovan Buha of The Athletic tweets. That duo was acquired in a deal with the Nets over the weekend.

“Obviously, they bring experience, they bring toughness,” James said. “They’ve played in big games and have mastered their roles throughout their careers. I’m looking forward to them getting into our system and making an immediate impact whenever their number is called.”

Coach JJ Redick said he expects both of the new additions to play against Cleveland on Tuesday, Mark Medina of Sportkeeda tweets. He’ll use them in reserve roles.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Redick said Gabe Vincent didn’t practice on Monday due to an oblique injury and is questionable for Tuesday’s game, Buha tweets. Jaxson Hayes (ankle) is probable, while Jarred Vanderbilt participated in non-contact portions of practice and remains out.
Suns forward Royce O’Neale (left ankle sprain) had imaging done on his ankle with promising results but he didn’t practice on Monday, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets. Devin Booker (groin) and Grayson Allen (concussion protocol) participated in 5-on-5 drills on Monday. They could both return to action against Memphis on Tuesday. Booker is listed as questionable, while Allen is probable, Rankin tweets.
Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, a restricted free agent after the season, has pumped up his value in recent games. He’s posted back-to-back 34-point outings against the Clippers and Suns. Kuminga is averaging 21.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest this month. “I just think he’s turning a corner,” coach Steve Kerr told Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

Pacific Notes: Melton, Reddish, Bronny, Suns

November 9th, 2024 at 10:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton said it felt “amazing” to be back on the court Friday night after missing five games due to a back strain, writes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. He was able to play 18 minutes, contributing 10 points, two rebounds and three assists as he moved right back into coach Steve Kerr‘s expanded rotation.

“Aggravation and they wanted to be cautious about it,” Melton said of the injury. “They just want to make sure I’m staying strong right now. Staying solid in terms of everything. Not worrying about necessarily being out there all the time, but the long haul.”

Melton experienced back pain while playing for Philadelphia last season and was unavailable for 40 of the final 45 regular season games. Golden State was aware of his physical issues when it signed him in free agency this summer, and the team’s medical staff is being careful in how it’s handling him.

“I’ve got a lot of trust in what they do,” Melton said, “and they’ve gotten me this far, so I’m in it.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Lakers coach J.J. Redick considers his starting lineup to be “fluid,” per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register, so any changes like Friday’s move to replace D’Angelo Russell with Cam Reddish may not be permanent. Reddish put up modest stats with three points and five rebounds, but he impacted the game on defense, particularly in his matchups with Paul George. “Every team is different, every coach is different,” Reddish said. “I just go out there and do what (Redick) tells me to do. In my past life, I was going out there doing what I wanted to do. That doesn’t necessarily work all the time.”
Several members of the Lakers showed up Saturday night to support Bronny James in his first G League game, according to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. The group included Redick, general manager Rob Pelinka, Russell, Anthony Davis and of course Bronny’s father, LeBron James. He posted six points, three rebounds and four assists for South Bay.
Rookie Ryan Dunn could be coach Mike Budenholzer‘s choice to replace Kevin Durant in the Suns‘ starting lineup while he’s recovering from a calf strain, suggests Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Royce O’Neale is a more experienced option, Rankin adds, but Budenholzer seems to prefer using him off the bench. Rankin states that the injury could also result in more playing time for Josh Okogie, who made his season debut on Friday, and Bol Bol, who has yet to play this season.