The Bucks can put Jonathan Kuminga in a position to get paid and play, but that still may not be the whole answer.
Milwaukee is among the teams that have shown interest in landing Kuminga through a sign-and-trade. The fit makes sense on paper.
He’s 23, he brings wing upside, and the Bucks can offer the kind of opportunity he has been searching for. The real question is whether that’s enough when other teams can give him the same thing - and maybe a clearer path to rebuilding his value.
NBA insider Michael Scotto recently discussed Kuminga on the Wilder Wolves podcast, and he said the biggest priority appears to be steady minutes.
"I think for Jonathan Kuminga, the main thing is getting consistent playing time and finally having an opportunity, if he can, to show and realize the potential he showed when he was with Golden State. He's yet to get that opportunity in full, and Minnesota would provide him the best opportunity for that.
With the Lakers, there's also the possibility that he would be a starting forward. I think it would be more concrete with Minnesota, though."
That’s where Milwaukee runs into the problem. The Bucks can absolutely give Kuminga what he wants, but so can Los Angeles and Minnesota. In either spot, he could step into a starting power-forward role while joining a team that expects to be in the championship hunt.
The difference is in how that opportunity looks. Milwaukee is no longer operating like a team trying to squeeze every last drop out of a title push after trading Giannis Antetokounmpo. They’ve moved into a different phase, one they can shape for themselves.
For Kuminga, that could mean a chance to grow with the organization and take on more freedom as a scorer. It could also help his value. But it would not carry the same weight as doing that work with the Lakers, or in the situation Scotto pointed to with Minnesota.
There’s a real distinction between being a productive piece on one of the best teams in a conference and putting up bigger numbers on a team that might finish outside the play-in picture altogether.
If Kuminga lands with the Lakers or Timberwolves and performs in a starting role, that could do a lot for his reputation. It would be proof that he can be the player he believes he can be.
In the end, the two biggest forces in this sweepstakes seem to be money and playing time. But the choice still comes down to what kind of path Kuminga wants to take.
Milwaukee can offer a fresh start. The question is whether he’ll see that as enough when stronger options are sitting there too.
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