One way or another, the Milwaukee Bucks will almost certainly add some small forward depth around Taurean Prince this summer. A name in the mix is Jonathan Kuminga, the Golden State Warrior who is drawing interest from Milwaukee, Miami, Washington, Brooklyn, and Chicago, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Kuminga would be an interesting pickup, though not cheap, as Slater reports that the current asking price in sign-and-trade scenarios is a first-round pick and a promising young player.
Bucks could use a small forward, but Kuminga isn't a seamless fit
What immediately jumps off the page with Kuminga are the physical traits. At 6-foot-8 with a lengthy wingspan and freakish athleticism, the forward would fit right in with the younger remodel this roster is going for. This team clearly wants to be faster, more athletic, and far more versatile, and someone like Kuminga can certainly help with that from a physical standpoint.
The concerns come in when you start looking at the basketball fit. Kuminga and his representatives have been very vocal about him wanting a bigger role wherever he plays next season. He's more than capable of doing so, but does he fit in with the approach Milwaukee is clearly embracing of putting an assortment of athletic shooters around a ball-dominant Giannis Antetokounmpo? Not really.
Kuminga's game has never revolved around shooting. He's shot just 33.2 percent from deep during his NBA career, including 31.3 percent over the past two seasons. He can still put points on the board, averaging 15.8 points during his last two seasons, but it helps when he plays with one of the greatest shooters ever in Steph Curry, who spaces the floor for him.
While he'd still have excellent spacing alongside players like Gary Trent Jr. and AJ Green, there may be some head-butting with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Of course, at 22, he's still plenty young and can work on his game moving forward. If he can develop a jumper, he'd take his game to a new level (and be a much better fit in Milwaukee).
A possible Kuminga deal may hinge on Milwaukee's willingness to offer their 2031 first-round pick, one of the most coveted assets around the entire league. Is the forward worth it? That's debatable. The Milwaukee Bucks may be better off trying to pry one of New Orleans' small forwards away from them for that price.
No matter what, the Milwaukee Bucks desperately need another small forward in town.
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