The Milwaukee Bucks want free agent Jonathan Kuminga, but they are not alone. Countless teams are registering interest in the forward, and if the Bucks want to be the team that ultimately secures a commitment, they should pitch Kuminga, who has never had a consistently prominent role, on the chance to have the most significant opportunity of his career.
Bucks have what other Kuminga suitors do not
NBA insider Marc Stein reports that the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Atlanta Hawks are all teams showing interest in Kuminga. Outside of Milwaukee, all of the teams interested have scoring options that would automatically be ahead of Kuminga in the pecking order. Does he really want to keep being a role player and complementary piece?
The Lakers obviously face financial constraints but league sources say they continue to explore the feasibility of adding Jonathan Kuminga to fill a wing need.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 2, 2026
Cleveland and Milwaukee have also expressed Kuminga interest and a return to Atlanta has not been ruled out. pic.twitter.com/at1Q99RgCb
The Lakers have Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Cleveland has Donovan Mitchell and will soon re-sign James Harden. The Hawks employ Jalen Johnson and CJ McCollum, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker appears poised for another leap. On some of those teams, he may not even be in the starting lineup. That likely wouldn't be desirable.
Milwaukee wouldn't immediately be Kuminga's team, but he'd have a better shot to spread his wings there than in any of these spots. One could argue Milwaukee's current top options are Tyler Herro, Ryan Rollins, and Kevin Porter Jr. Many are wondering if any of them are true No. 1 potential. Adding Kuminga into the fold would give the Bucks another option to explore on this young team.
One of the primary concerns with Milwaukee's current roster is their power forward spot; if they were to get Kuminga, they'd land a clear-cut starting option.
Inconsistency has defined Kuminga's career
In stints with Golden State and Atlanta, Kuminga has never truly been unlocked. Bouts with Coach Steve Kerr with the Warriors were common, with Kuminga often going from being a starter to being out of the rotation entirely. In Atlanta, the Hawks never carved out a clear plan for the young forward and used him inconsistently.
At this point, a clear role has to be at the top of Kuminga's priorities list. Also, after everything he went through with Kerr in Golden State, the thought of playing under a player development savant such as Taylor Jenkins has to be appealing. Of course, it also likely helps that the Milwaukee Bucks have some spending money due to a quiet first few days of NBA Free Agency.
Landing with the Bucks could be what Jonathan Kuminga needs to reach the next level.
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