Jonathan Kuminga is still one of the NBA offseason’s biggest loose ends, and now there’s another trade idea floating around that would ship him to the Clippers.
Rohan Roman of Hawks On SI put forward a sign-and-trade scenario that would send Kuminga to Los Angeles in a deal built around veteran help going back the other way. It’s only a hypothetical proposal, not something reported as an active discussion between Atlanta and the Clippers.
Under Roman’s idea, the Clippers would receive Jonathan Kuminga on a three-year, $64.5 million deal, along with Mo Gueye, Buddy Hield and a 2029 second-round pick.
The Clippers have at least been mentioned in connection with Kuminga before. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype previously reported that Los Angeles had explored the possibility of acquiring him in a sign-and-trade.
For Atlanta, the pitch is straightforward: turn a restricted free agent who may not fit the long-term picture into two veterans who could help right away. Jones would give the Hawks another versatile defender and athletic finisher, while Lopez would add size, rim protection and shooting to a frontcourt that already includes Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson.
Neither player is viewed as a long-term building block, but the idea is that both could provide immediate value instead of letting Kuminga’s situation linger or risking losing him down the road.
Los Angeles, meanwhile, would be betting on the upside. Kuminga would give the Clippers another young piece to add alongside Darius Garland, Brandon Ingram and Keaton Wagler. At 23, he still brings athleticism, rebounding and finishing around the basket, while Hield would add shooting and Gueye would give the team another developmental big.
There are still plenty of steps involved, and Kuminga would need to agree to the contract in the first place.
But the framework is easy to see. Atlanta gets certainty and useful veterans.
The Clippers get younger. And Kuminga gets the bigger role he’s been after.
In Other News...
Kawhi Leonard Keeps Clippers Under A Cloud As Toronto Waits
Kawhi Leonards path from the Clippers to Toronto has been stuck in limbo while the NBA looks into possible salary cap circumvention tied to the deal, leaving an unusual cloud over a move that was supposed to reshape both teams. Leonard has denied any wrongdoing and has stayed publicly quiet through the process, but for now the uncertainty hangs over the Clippers as much as it does the Raptors, who have been waiting to see whether the trade can move forward.
For Toronto, the hold-up is more than an administrative wrinkle because it affects when Leonard can get settled with a new team and begin the next stage of his return. Sources say the leagues review is getting closer to a finish, and there is at least a path toward having him available in time for training camp, but until the investigation is wrapped up, the most important part of the story remains unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Kawhi Leonard Just Reopened A Clippers Issue Fans Thought Was Over
Kawhi Leonards contract situation is back in the spotlight at a moment when the Clippers would probably prefer it stay quiet. He is eligible for a two-year extension, but the broader conversation around his future has been complicated by the NBAs ongoing investigation into whether endorsement deals were used in a way that skirted the salary cap. For a team that has already built plenty of its recent identity around Leonard, any uncertainty around his next deal carries obvious weight.
The league has not announced any official rulings, which leaves the issue hanging over both Leonard and the teams involved. Even without a final decision, the possibility of discipline is enough to keep this story alive, because the outcome could reshape more than just one players contract. For the Clippers, the bigger concern is that a matter once thought settled is now open again, with no clear timetable for when it will be resolved. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Rebounding Problem Is Turning Ben Simmons Into A Real Option
The Clippers frontcourt issues have become hard to ignore, and they are the kind of problem that can reshape how a team thinks about the rest of its roster. Rebounding has been a sore spot, and with that in mind, Ben Simmons is starting to look less like a curiosity and more like a practical answer. The free agent guard-forward has already spent time with the club, which gives Los Angeles some built-in familiarity if it chooses to revisit the idea.
Simmons is also said to be open to a veteran minimum deal, which only adds to the appeal for a team trying to patch holes without spending heavily. His recent athleticism has reportedly been better, and his rebounding has long been one of the clearest parts of his value. For a Clippers team searching for size, activity and a little more control on the glass, the fit is easy enough to see, even if the decision still comes with the usual Simmons questions attached. [Read more 🡒]