Jonathan Kuminga’s free-agency picture, at least in Jake Fischer’s view, is starting to narrow.
During his latest Bleacher Report live stream, Fischer said he believes the forward’s decision will come down to the Lakers or the Timberwolves. Both teams could offer Kuminga a path to a starting role, but Fischer pointed out a key difference: Los Angeles looks better positioned to put real money on the table. Minnesota, by contrast, would likely be stuck near a veteran’s minimum offer unless it clears room through cost-cutting moves.
The Lakers, though, would have to do more than just show interest. To offer Kuminga more than the minimum, they’d need to complete a sign-and-trade, and Fischer said that creates two hurdles: finding a trade structure the Hawks would accept and getting Kuminga to agree to a contract that runs at least three seasons.
Fischer later added on Twitter that he wouldn’t completely rule out the Bulls either. Chicago’s strongest offer without a sign-and-trade would probably be the full room exception, which starts at $9.4MM.
Bruce Brown is another name Fischer touched on, and he expects the veteran swingman to land with a “playoff-caliber” team. The Sixers had been seen as a possible destination for Brown if they hadn’t landed LeBron James, while the Rockets also showed interest earlier in the offseason.
Fischer said neither of those teams appears to be in the mix now, and he also doesn’t see a return to the Nuggets as realistic. The Lakers remain one team to watch, even with 16 players already on fully guaranteed contracts.
In Miami, Fischer thinks the Heat may not be done after adding Klay Thompson. He said free agent center Nick Richards will likely end up with the team. He also reported that Nikola Jovic’s four-year, $62.4MM deal is currently viewed around the league as a “negative asset,” and that Bobby Portis’ two-year, $30.1MM contract is considered “even more of a negative.”
Fischer also weighed in on Detroit’s standoff with Jalen Duren, saying he expects the Pistons to eventually settle on a long-term deal and repair the relationship with their restricted free agent center after a drawn-out negotiation.
And in Denver, the Nikola Jokic situation is already drawing outside attention. Fischer noted that rival teams will be watching closely, even though Jokic has said he plans to sign a long-term extension with the Nuggets next summer. He’ll also be eligible for unrestricted free agency then, which means other teams will be hoping Denver stumbles again in 2026/27 and gives him reason to reconsider.
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Nuggets Just Created A Nikola Jokic Problem Fans Feared
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The anxiety around those moves only grows because the league is already circling. Los Angeles has been tied to Jokic interest, and the idea of a sign-and-trade gives the whole situation a more concrete shape than a simple rumor mill headline. For Nuggets fans, the uneasy part is obvious: every cost-cutting decision now feels like part of a much bigger conversation about whether Denver can keep its star in place long enough to avoid an offseason crisis. [Read more 🡒]
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The bigger question is what Denver does with its final openings, especially with payroll still an obvious factor in every decision. The Nuggets are weighing a couple of different paths for those spots, and the names still in the mix suggest the team is trying to balance immediate help with long-term flexibility. Even this early in the process, the roster math is doing as much work as the on-court fit, and the next move could say a lot about how aggressively Denver wants to keep this group together. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Just Lost A Guard Option That Could Matter Later
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Instead, the Nuggets finished their offseason by adding DeMar DeRozan, and the point-guard picture is still a little thin behind Jamal Murray. Tyus Jones and KJ Simpson are in that mix now, which leaves Denver leaning more on internal answers for depth at a spot that could matter later if the rotation gets tested. [Read more 🡒]