The question isn't if, but when the Golden State Warriors will begin to consider trade talks regarding Jonathan Kuminga. The former seventh-overall pick returned from a 31-game absence in March, only to be relegated to a diminished role.
The shrunken role resulted from the Warriors acquiring six-time All-Star and fellow forward Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline amid Kuminga's absence. The 22-year-old went from playing 26.0 minutes per game pre-All-Star break to 20.8 following the midseason festivities. Subsequently, Kuminga's points per game dropped from 16.8 to 12.2.
Trade discussions will soon mar Jonathan Kuminga
Kuminga's latest evolution is even more unbecoming. The 6-foot-8 forward has been out of Steve Kerr's rotation for the Warriors' last three, and most important, games of the season. Kuminga earned DNP status against the Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, and the first game of a seven-game series versus the Houston Rockets.
Despite Kuminga's size and unteachable physical gifts, he's remained on the sidelines against the Rockets, who are flush with athletic wings (Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and Dillon Brooks). Kerr has stood pat in his decision to keep Kuminga on the pine, stating, "The Jimmy, JK combination has not been great, and that’s the tricky part here. And I’m playing Jimmy 40 minutes a night."
Kerr's reasoning is understandable. Neither forward is a skilled outside shooter; both are stroking below 31.0 percent of their three-pointers this season. Overlap exists. Still, it's bizarre that a player who's averaged 15.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game over his last two seasons isn't in Kerr's rotation—even for 10-15 minutes.
Thus, out of the rotation, on the brink of restricted free agency, queue the eventual sign-and-trade! Sure, keeping Kuminga in the Bay Area is the most rational move. Golden State traded for and extended Butler, yet he'll be 38 years old when his contract expires. Furthermore, Stephen Curry is 37 and Draymond Green is 35. A rebuild is assuredly on the horizon.
The Bulls must consider trading for Kuminga
However, if the seemingly not-disgruntled forward requests a trade in the coming months, the Warriors will have no choice, and that's when the Chicago Bulls should pounce. Unlike the Warriors, Chicago boasts one of the NBA's younger squads. With 25-year-old Coby White, 22-year-old Josh Giddey, and 20-year-old Matas Buzelis leading the charge, an added infusion of youth is warranted.
While Kuminga doesn't make the most sense next to Butler, or even 32.5 percent marksman Green, he'd fit well on the run-and-gun Bulls. It's worth noting Golden State attempted more three-pointers per game than Chicago (only by 0.4), yet the Warriors ranked 17th in the NBA in pace, compared to the Bulls' second-place ranking.
Kuminga would operate with even more space in Chicago and play to his athletic strengths as a transition terror. The former G-League Ignite star would pair well with another former G-Leaguer, Buzelis, at the forward spots. Both wings are nearly interchangeable and just as deadly off-ball as they are on. Although off-ball propensity is typically associated with spot-up shooting, cutting plays apart, which must be an area of improvement moving forward in Chicago. The Bulls averaged 6.2 cuts per game, yet converted at a 70.2 percent clip (fourth-best in the NBA).
The 22-year-old fits the Bulls' timeline and makes for a picturesque fit in Billy Donovan's lineup. The need to add a starting-caliber wing is apparent after trading DeMar DeRozan and the botched re-signing of Patrick Williams a season ago.
Although the Warriors were hesitant to include Kuminga in any trades earlier this season, it's likely the Front Office's mindset is in a different space. With the athletic wing set to enter restricted free agency, the salary cap decimated Warriors won't be too keen to offer Kuminga the $35 million extension he sought last offseason. Nonetheless, it's a long-term deal the Bulls must consider, especially if he can be acquired for less than the Warriors originally desired.