Golden State forward Jonathan Kuminga has been a consistent presence in the rumor mill since the beginning of the 2025 NBA offseason. According to recent reports, the 22-year-old is having trouble finding a deal to his liking on the free agent market and could simply return to the Warriors - which is good news for the Bulls, as their own restricted free agent, Josh Giddey, may be forced to take his own discount to remain in Chicago.
Oddly enough, the Bulls have been mentioned as a suitor for Kuminga in a sign-and-trade deal since his name surfaced as a potential player on the move. Giddey is seemingly Chicago's top priority this summer, especially after the team re-signed fellow point guard Tre Jones.
The lack of action surrounding Kuminga likely means there's a similar lack of teams lining up to sign Giddey to an offer sheet. If the Bulls play their cards right, this entire saga could have a dream ending.
Latest Jonathan Kuminga reports are a good sign for the Chicago Bulls
Per ESPN NBA insider Marc Spears, Kuminga and his circle are having a difficult time finding the kind of deal the former top-10 pick envisioned:
"There seems to be optimism in the Warriors camp that (Kuminga) will re-sign," Spears said. "This market's not great for him."
Spears mentions that Kuminga is hoping for a deal in the $25 million per year range, but adds, "Who has that money for him?"
Giddey was rumored to want a five-year, $150 million deal prior to last season. He proceeded to have a breakout 2024-25 campaign, averaging 14.6 points, along with a career-high 8.1 rebounds and a career-high 7.2 assists.
Most importantly for both Giddey and the Bulls, he shot 37.8 percent from three. He nearly posted a triple-double after the All-Star break, averaging 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists compared to 3.4 turnovers in his final 19 games with shooting splits of 50/46/81.
The 6-foot-8 floor general proved to be a critical part of Chicago's newly installed transition-based offense that finished the season second in the NBA in pace and first in total possessions.
It appears the Bulls have learned from last year's epic mistake of signing Patrick Williams to a five-year, $90 million contract before he ever received an offer sheet from another team. Now, the franchise will certainly pay far less than the $30 million per year Giddey wanted before the season.
The Bulls hold all the leverage in negotiations and should be able to bring back their starting point guard at an unexpected discount; if Kuminga's issues are any indication, Chicago could re-sign one of its most important players for closer to $100 million than $150 million.