The Cavaliers are still chasing a real answer at small forward this offseason, and Jonathan Kuminga remains very much in the mix even if he’s no longer the obvious first name on the board.
Cleveland’s interest has widened as the summer has moved along, but Kuminga still checks a lot of boxes for a team trying to add size, athleticism and defensive versatility on the wing. He may not be the splashiest target, yet he could still change the shape of the roster in a meaningful way.
Kuminga is about to turn 24, which would make him one of the younger players on the Cavs roster. At the same time, he already has five NBA seasons under his belt, so this isn’t some raw prospect learning on the fly.
He’s averaging 12.5 points per game over his career and has an NBA championship from his time with the Warriors in 2022. Before his trade to Atlanta last season, he was putting up nearly 16 points a game for Golden State.
His offensive role in Atlanta dropped, but his value showed up on the other end. He became one of the team’s top defenders because he can guard any position on the floor, and that kind of flexibility is exactly why Cleveland is interested.
That was on display when Atlanta was ahead of New York, with Kuminga drawing praise for his defense on Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart while also handling entire quarters of games. For Cleveland, that matters.
The Cavs can handle opposing big men with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, but they still need help on the perimeter against a team’s best non-big scorer. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden defensively need that kind of support, and Kuminga can provide it.
The obstacle is price. Both Kuminga and Peyton Watson come with major asking prices, and multiple teams are in the hunt. Atlanta is going to want serious assets in any sign-and-trade involving contenders, which is why Kuminga remains attractive if Watson goes elsewhere and ends up costing even more.
If Cleveland were to make a deal, the return to Atlanta could include Max Strus, Dennis Schroder, or Sam Merrill, plus some of the minor draft capital the Cavaliers still have. There is still a slim path to landing Kuminga without a trade, but at this stage the asking price is too steep for Cleveland to simply sign him outright.
The Cavs need to settle on their move soon, or they risk missing out on both of the young two-way wings they’ve been targeting.
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The Sixers, though, may not have an easy path to making it happen. Philadelphias roster situation could complicate any pursuit, even with Love said to be on the teams radar, and there is still no deal in place. For Cleveland, the storyline is less about a direct move and more about the uncomfortable reminder of how closely Loves career remains tied to the LeBron orbit. [Read more 🡒]