The Bulls could be eyeing Warriors’ Kuminga as their next big move
The Chicago Bulls might not be done reshaping their roster just yet. After landing Josh Giddey, they’ve got their sights set on Golden State Warriors restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga.
But making it happen won’t be easy.
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported Friday that a sign-and-trade deal “doesn’t seem very plausible” because Chicago simply doesn’t have the trade pieces Golden State would want for their talented 22-year-old forward.
That doesn’t mean Bulls fans should give up hope, though.
Fischer noted that no one should “dismiss Chicago completely as a future landing spot” since the team is projected to have plenty of cap space next summer.
“Those are among the factors that have Kuminga’s camp, I’m told, strongly considering the same route that [Cam] Thomas went and accepting the $7.9 million qualifying offer from Golden State that expires Oct. 1,” he wrote.
Last month, reports surfaced about “renewed” talks between the Warriors and Kuminga as they try to break their contract stalemate.
ESPN’s Anthony Slater explained on NBA Today that Kuminga wants more than just money – he wants respect.
“Well, there’s been renewed conversations between the two sides. There’s dialogue, but as you all know, talking doesn’t necessarily equal movement,” Slater said.
“Kuminga wants more of a player-friendly deal, more of a signal that he’s a building block, not a trade asset.”
Kuminga Leaning Toward Qualifying Offer
The Warriors aren’t budging from their two-year, $45 million offer to Kuminga. But the 6-foot-8 wing seems to prefer the much smaller $7.9 million qualifying offer instead.
Why would he take less money? It’s all about control.
The Warriors’ current offer includes a team option for the second year and doesn’t give Kuminga any say in potential trades during the first year.
The qualifying offer, however, comes with a no-trade clause – something extremely valuable to a young player who doesn’t want to be shipped off mid-season.
“The word I’ve heard used from the Kuminga side is ‘pawn,'” Slater reported. “He doesn’t want to sign this two-year, $45 million deal with a team option where he is clearly just being used to be traded mid-season. That’s not something he wants to sign up for.”
What would change his mind? A longer commitment.
“If you’re talking about a three-year deal, if you’re talking about something with a player option that shows him a little bit more commitment, that’s something he’d be interested in,” Slater added.
“But as of now, the Warriors have been hesitant to do that, and because of that, Kuminga is signaling to those around him that he’s very willing – and prefers – [to sign] the qualifying offer over the two-year, $45 million deal. That’s dangerous for the Warriors. They can try to call his bluff, but right now, it seems to be trending toward the qualifying offer.”
The Bulls could really use a young talent like Kuminga after their massive roster overhaul. They’ve traded away DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso, Lonzo Ball, and Zach LaVine in recent months.
With Nikola Vucevic turning 35 next month, adding a young, athletic forward with star potential makes perfect sense for Chicago’s rebuild.
