The Bucks have the means and the desire to land Jonathan Kuminga this offseason, but also have a solid backup option in Nate Ament to make their pursuit less desperate. Ament fills a lot of the same potential as Kuminga from the forward spot while being younger and cheaper. Even if Milwaukee strikes out on Kuminga this summer, they should make it a priority to develop Ament throughout next season.
Nate Ament can fill Kuminga's potential role
At his best, Kuminga is a versatile and uber-athletic forward capable of creating his own shot in a pinch. He could be a great fit as the Bucks' starting small forward or power forward because his complete game can fill holes left by other weaknesses on the rebuilding roster. But Kuminga isn't the only young forward on the Bucks' radar capable of playing a versatile role.
Ament flashed his potential to do the same thing during his lone college season at the University of Tennessee. He's got even more size than Kuminga, as Ament measured 6'10" compared to Kuminga's 6'7". But Ament also has the ball skills to create his own shots and the explosive athleticism to be unstoppable attacking the rim.
Even with the Bucks' plethora of wing options, Ament needs to get plenty of minutes regardless of who's on the roster opening night. As the 13th overall pick in the draft (and a return from trading Giannis), he should have high expectations from the Bucks organization to grow into an elite forward one day. Even Kuminga joining the team shouldn't derail the Bucks from that eventual goal.
Kuminga's addition can help Ament too
But the two don't necessarily need to be pitted against each other. It's highly unlikely that Ament will be ready for a full-time starting role right away. He'll still be 19 years old when the season starts and could use veteran guidance from someone with a similar physical profile. Kuminga is four years older and heading into season six; there might be no one better to provide direct feedback to Ament.
Kuminga's career has been filled with ups and downs so far, honestly more downs than ups considering his public disagreements and inconsistent minutes in Golden State. But he can help Ament avoid the same mistakes as a mentor who knows the feeling of coming into the league with a lot of hype and being placed into an uncertain situation.
Combining Kuminga and Ament in the Bucks rotation could be the best thing for Milwaukee's present and future. Ament can learn a lot from Kuminga now and eventually be ready to start alongside him after a couple years. With their respective physical profiles, they could make a mean tandem on the frontline one day.
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