The Chicago Bulls are back in the Jonathan Kuminga rumor mill, and the timing is what makes it strange.
Just as the Bennedict Mathurin chatter finally reached its end - with Mathurin reportedly landing with the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday - Chicago popped up in another young free-agent discussion. For months, the Bulls had been linked to Mathurin, though there were mixed reports about how serious that interest really was. Either way, the Bulls watched that one slip away.
That development made it seem like Chicago might be done making noise this offseason. Training camp is a little over a month away, and Bryson Graham has been consistent about wanting to preserve flexibility and financial room. The Bulls still have roster space to work with, but there’s a case for leaving it open as they move toward a rebuilding 2026-27 season.
Instead, the Bulls were quickly attached to another name.
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported Wednesday that Chicago could be involved in the Jonathan Kuminga situation. Fischer wrote on social media, "But I believe the Bulls are involved in Jonathan Kuminga's process to a real degree, in addition to Lakers, Wolves," Fischer wrote on social media.
He also noted, "But I believe the Bulls are involved in Jonathan Kuminga's process to a real degree, in addition to…"
The Lakers and Timberwolves have been the teams most often connected to Kuminga in recent weeks. Chicago, by contrast, has barely entered the conversation in any meaningful way. The previous front office had been tied to Kuminga over the last couple of years, but that interest appears to have faded once the new regime took over.
That’s why this latest link feels so curious. Did the Bulls lose Mathurin and immediately pivot? Or is there a chance they’re hearing Kuminga could be available at a price they like?
One reason Chicago at least makes some sense is Bryson Graham’s familiarity with Kuminga. A few months ago, when Graham was serving as the Hawks’ GM, he and front-office leader Onsi Saleh traded for Kuminga and Buddy Hield at the deadline in the deal that sent Kristaps Porzingis away. That doesn’t mean Graham is locked in on Kuminga now, but it does mean he knows the player well and has a better sense of how he might fit the Bulls’ direction.
There’s another angle worth considering, though, and Fischer’s wording leaves room for it. He called the Bulls part of the “process,” which could mean Chicago is more of a facilitator than a landing spot.
If the Lakers or Timberwolves want to get something done, the Bulls could help move salary, take on money, and possibly come away with draft capital for their trouble. Graham has sounded open to that kind of role before.
And then there’s the possibility that Kuminga’s camp is simply working the market. With the Lakers and Timberwolves already in the mix, adding another team can only help raise the price. In that sense, the Bulls would be a convenient name to throw into the conversation, especially after the Mathurin trail went cold.
Still, it would be a surprise if Kuminga actually ended up in Chicago.
The Bulls do have a clear long-term opening next to Josh Giddey, and they could use more on-ball scoring. But if they weren’t eager enough to push for Mathurin, it’s hard to see them making a bigger move for Kuminga.
The competition is already there, which makes the price climb. And stylistically, Kuminga overlaps with what Mathurin would have brought: a downhill scorer who lives at the rim and at the foul line, but one who has not been a reliable floor-spacer.
That matters for a roster that needs shooting around Matas Buzelis, Caleb Wilson, and Josh Giddey.
Fit may not be the top priority in this stage of the Bulls’ build. They’re still collecting assets and sorting out who belongs in the future picture.
If they think Kuminga is worth a deeper look, they can certainly explore it. But based on what Graham has shown so far, that doesn’t feel like the likeliest path.
For now, the more believable outcome is that Chicago is either on the edge of the negotiation or being used to help shape it. Putting Kuminga in a Bulls uniform would be a much bigger swing than this report suggests.
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