Jonathan Kuminga is still out there, and the Timberwolves are a team worth tracking if his market keeps sliding.
That’s the read ESPN’s Brian Windhorst floated on The Hoop Collective podcast, when he said, “Watch the Wolves in the next couple days.”
Tim MacMahon followed that up by saying Minnesota would make a lot of sense if Kuminga gets to the point where he would take a minimum deal.
The fit is easy enough to see. Ryan Eichten of NBA on SI pointed out that the Wolves have a clear opening at power forward after moving on from Julius Randle and Naz Reid. Kuminga would bring size, athleticism and another scoring threat next to Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball.
But there’s a catch, and it’s a big one: spacing. Kuminga has shot 33.2 percent from three for his career, and if he spends too much time alongside Rudy Gobert, the offense could get cramped in a hurry.
Even so, if the price drops all the way to the minimum, Minnesota could offer something Kuminga might want - a starting job on a playoff team and a chance to rebuild his value for next summer.
Out in Los Angeles, the Clippers have gone hard after shooting, but the new look comes with a different problem.
Cem Yolbulan of NBA on SI called size and physicality the club’s biggest weakness after the addition of former Cavaliers wing Max Strus. The roster now includes Darius Garland, Rui Hachimura, Brandon Beal, Gradey Dick and Brook Lopez, a group with plenty of floor-spacers.
What’s missing is heft. Over the past several months, the Clippers have moved on from Kawhi Leonard, John Collins and Ivica Zubac, and that has left the frontcourt noticeably lighter.
Another move before training camp still feels possible.
In Milwaukee, the Giannis Antetokounmpo era is over, and the Bucks are already trying to make something new out of it.
Tre Allen of NBA on SI says there are still reasons for fans to stay interested after the trade with Miami brought back Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kasparas Jakucionis. Milwaukee also added rookies Brayden Burries and Nate Ament.
Herro now looks set to get a real shot as a primary offensive option, while Ware, Jaquez and the rest of the younger Bucks should have much bigger roles than they ever would have in the old setup.
The team also brought in former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins to guide the reset.
No one is pretending these Bucks are the same kind of contender they were in the Giannis years. But for the first time in a while, Milwaukee is walking into a season with a very different set of questions.
In Other News...
Clippers Still Have One Roster Question They May Not Escape
The Clippers still have some sorting to do before the season gets moving, and the shape of the roster is starting to look like the kind of problem that can follow a team right into opening night. With a group that leans heavily toward guards, the balance on the roster has become a real issue, especially when it comes to adding enough frontcourt size to hold up over a full season.
That leaves Los Angeles in a familiar spot: weighing whether another move is needed to clean things up before camp turns into the regular season. The Clippers are also carrying more players than they can keep, so the front office has a decision to make while other teams around the league are still finalizing their own plans. For a team trying to build around its top talent, this is the sort of roster question that can shape everything that comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers May Have Just Avoided A Roster Fit Problem
DeMar DeRozans move to Denver adds another layer to a Western Conference that already feels crowded with teams trying to close the gap on the top tier. The veteran wing is arriving on a one-year deal after the Nuggets lost Peyton Watson, and the fit question is immediate because DeRozan has long been more of a midrange scorer than a perimeter spacer. His career three-point shooting percentage has never been a calling card, which makes any roster that leans on balance and spacing pay close attention.
From the Clippers perspective, the interesting part is what did not happen. They reportedly had interest in DeRozan, but they stopped short of pushing it over the finish line, a choice that now looks a little more deliberate with Denver taking the swing instead. For a team trying to keep its own roster cleanly aligned around star creation and shooting, passing on a player with DeRozans profile may have been less about talent and more about avoiding a fit issue before it had a chance to surface. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Suddenly Face A Jalen Duren Decision They Can't Avoid
Jalen Durens contract situation in Detroit is getting harder to ignore, and it has plenty of ripple effects for teams that could eventually be pulled into the mix. As a restricted free agent after the 2025-26 season, Duren sits at the center of a delicate negotiation for the Pistons, who have to weigh their long-term plans against the possibility of losing leverage if the talks go sideways.
The Los Angeles Clippers have surfaced as a possible trade partner if Detroit ever chooses to reshape the situation, but the Pistons reportedly have little appetite for that route right now. For a front office trying to avoid a messy endgame, the real concern is simple: if Duren takes the qualifying offer, the whole process shifts in a way that leaves Detroit with far less control than it wants. [Read more 🡒]