Make no mistake about it, the Milwaukee Bucks would be glad to bring in Jonathan Kuminga for a reasonable trade package. Kuminga is appealing for his athleticism, scoring chops, and potential as a two-way wing. As restricted free agency drags with the Warriors, however, there has been no development on a sign-and-trade front. What intel there has been is not promising for teams like the Bucks, who, earlier this summer, were named as Kuminga suitors.
The Kings, frontrunners in the so-called sweepstakes, reportedly offered Malik Monk and a protected first-round pick, per ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel. The Warriors didn't bite. Sacramento's spurned haul is better than anything the Bucks should even entertain. Golden State's hardball stance all but slams the door on Milwaukee's chances at pulling off a deal.
Bucks should not enter the ballpark of Warriors' desired Kuminga return
Per Siegel, the Monk package, along with a similar offer from Phoenix (second-rounders plus Royce O'Neale), was a non-starter for the Warriors.
"Neither offer came close to what the Dubs expected for Kuminga, which is why they shut down all trade discussions weeks ago and continue to signal they are not willing to talk with either team."
Yikes. The best the Bucks could do would involve Kyle Kuzma and a first-round pick, possibly one that is protected. Maybe they would throw in a young player like Tyler Smith, but nothing more than that. The Bucks must be wary of spending their 2031 or 2032 first-rounder without heavy protections.
Based on Siegel's report, whether Golden State would consider Kuzma, Smith, and unprotected first isn't even certain. That's not an offer the Bucks should consider, anyway. For all his potential, Kuminga has concerning flaws - poor shooting efficiency in particular - that could cap his value significantly.
For the Kings last season, Monk averaged a career-high 17.2 points and 5.6 assists. In terms of win-now talent, he's probably about as good a player as the Warriors would get. Certainly, Monk is a much better fit for that roster than Kuzma would be as another clunky-shooting forward.
At this point, the sign-and-trade ship seems to have sailed. In order for a deal to happen, Kuminga has to make a certain amount of money, allowing Golden State to bring back quality players in return. Clearly, they have not been impressed by any offers on the table.
Whatever happens, Kuminga appears destined to start the season in Golden State. If the two sides ultimately reach a multi-year agreement, a midseason trade will remain in play. The Warriors recently upped their contract offer to three years and $75 million, with a team option in year three, but Kuminga's camp showed no interest, ESPN's Anthony Slater reported.
That seems likely to be the case as long as a team option remains in place. Kuminga's agent, Aaron Turner, indicated that his client is preparing to take the one-year, $7.9 million qualifying offer in order to retain future flexibility.
If that happens, a trade at any point becomes all but impossible. Kuminga would have a de facto no-trade clause and too small a salary for the Warriors to net a decent return. In all likelihood, he would simply play out the year there en route to unrestricted free agency next offseason.
The Milwaukee Bucks, at least, shouldn't worry about it. Instead, they should turn their focus to more realistic scenarios and ditch the Kuminga fantasy for good.