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Amid active sign-and-trade interest from the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers, along with the possibility of re-signing with the Atlanta Hawks, another suitor has expressed interest in free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga. After missing out on their pursuit of LeBron James, the Minnesota Timberwolves have also expressed interest in Kuminga with their starting power forward spot up for grabs and their $6.06 million taxpayer mid-level exception available for the taking, league sources told HoopsHype.
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers have recently called to express interest in a sign-and-trade for Denver Nuggets restricted free-agent forward Peyton Watson, league sources told HoopsHype. The newfound interest in Watson comes on the heels of Cleveland also being in the mix for free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga in sign-and-trade discussions. More on both forwards to come in separate sections below.
Sources say the Cavs have expressed interest in free agents DeMar DeRozan, Peyton Watson and Jonathan Kuminga. DeRozan, the 17-year NBA veteran, was waived by Sacramento a little more than three weeks ago and has been viewed leaguewide as a possible low-cost target for any team that missed on LeBron. There’s an argument that DeRozan is the best available free agent.
Sources say the 23-year-old Kuminga wants an annual deal in the $15-20 million range, which would necessitate a sign-and-trade with Atlanta involving either swingman Max Strus or Dennis Schroder. The Hawks, already with 17 players on the roster and incredibly close to the luxury tax, would have to cooperate — and actually want what Cleveland, the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers or Milwaukee Bucks are willing to offer in a sign-and-trade.
The Cavs, sources say, have been in touch with Kuminga’s representatives throughout the week, trying to determine whether there is a realistic financial pathway to a deal and what it would cost — both in salary and roster subtractions. With the Cavaliers’ current cap situation, any sign-and-trade would create a hard cap at the first apron.
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NBABase: Both the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers are actively pursuing Jonathan Kuminga via sign-and-trade, per @ShamsCharania "Whatever deal could happen will likely be a sign-and-trade. So that's where both the Lakers and Cavs would need the Hawks to work with them on a Kuminga deal. They would also have to get Kuminga on the same page with them all in a potential deal."
A contract between Harden and Cleveland, meanwhile, is still expected to max out at no more than two guaranteed years, league sources say. Projecting the specific salary number remains fluid given the Cavaliers' ongoing interest in Jonathan Kuminga and their determination to stay out of the second apron for a second successive season.
What's clear in Cleveland: Even after the signing of Mario Hezonja, sources with knowledge of the Cavaliers' thinking insisted Monday that they continue to maintain Kuminga interest. The problem: Cleveland's lack of available salary-cap space means it would require a sign-and-trade to add Kuminga. And sources say that the Cavaliers, because they are already hard-capped at the first apron, have found it challenging to assemble a trade construction that Atlanta would find suitable.
Shams Charania: "The Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers are among the teams seriously pursuing Kuminga. There are a couple other teams as well poking around this situation. Both the Lakers and the Cavs would have sizable roles potentially as a starter for Kuminga, but they would need a sign-and-trade that works for the Atlanta Hawks who declined his team option for this summer, as well as a number that Kuminga would accept as well. Those conversations are ongoing."
Brian Windhorst: "The Cavs are still in the game for Jonathan Kuminga. I've talked to his agent. He does see a really good fit in Cleveland. I listen to the pathways the Cavs have to get him and I don't think they're realistic. That said, if you'd told me seven weeks ago that the 76ers would have Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, I would have not thought that was realistic."
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He’s been in talks this free agency on a new contract or a potential sign-and-trade out of Atlanta, but nothing has materialized nearly a month into the process. According to NBA insider Keith Smith, the biggest obstacle with Kuminga is the length of the deal. He can only be traded if he signs a three-year deal, but he insists on signing a one-year contract if he has to accept less money than he’s aiming for. “The challenge with Kuminga is that if he’s gonna take less money than what he wants, then he only wants to do it for a year,” reported Keith Smith. “He doesn’t want to do a three-year deal, and in order to do a sign-and-trade, he would have to have a three-year contract. That gets him stuck a little bit. He doesn’t want to be on a smaller contract that devalues himself.”
After the Cleveland Cavaliers missed out on another LeBron James Reunion Tour, they could turn their attention toward free-agent forward Jonathan Kuminga. Cavs officials maintained contact with Kuminga and his Cleveland-based agent, Aaron Turner, throughout James’ free agency, and there is mutual interest, multiple league sources told The Athletic.
“Jonathan likes the Cavs, likes (coach) Kenny Atkinson, and (star) Donovan Mitchell likes him,” Turner, Kuminga’s agent, said in a brief interview. Turner said Kuminga is fond of Cleveland generally and spent two months training there last summer. Kuminga has a relationship with Atkinson from when the coach was an assistant under Steve Kerr at Golden State. While both sides confirmed interest, it is unclear which avenue the Cavs might take to acquire Kuminga if they decide on that path.
League sources, who spoke on the condition anonymity to discuss ongoing negotiations, said what the Lakers are prepared to offer Atlanta in a trade is underwhelming, whereas Cleveland has potentially more appealing trade pieces. The Cavs have been linked to possible trades of veteran forward Max Strus ($16 million) and point guard Dennis Schröder ($14 million). To execute a sign-and-trade transaction, Cleveland must remain under the NBA’s first salary apron of roughly $209 million, which is why James Harden remains unsigned.
