Bulls Reportedly Made Offer to Jonathan Kuminga But Struck Out

The Chicago Bulls made a run at Jonathan Kuminga, which tells us what about Bryson Graham's strategy?

Feb 24, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga (0) on the court against the Washington Wizards during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Only hours after a report surfaced connecting Jonathan Kuminga to the Chicago Bulls, the free-agent forward has found a new home.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves were seen as the clear frontrunners for Kuminga in recent weeks. Then, after Bennedict Mathurin reportedly agreed to join the New Orleans Pelicans, Jake Fischer revealed that the Bulls were viewed as a third team involved in the hunt.

Fast forward to Wednesday evening, and ESPN's Shams Charania revealed that the Bulls did, in fact, make Kuminga an offer. The 24-year-old instead chose to sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves on a two-way, $13.0 million deal. The second season will include a player option.

Aside from the Timberwolves, the Bulls were reportedly joined by the Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers in trying to lure Kuminga. Chicago was heavily connected to Kuminga under the previous regime, but very few reports linked the two sides over the last handful of months. Nevertheless, starting a rebuild and still holding one open roster spot, the Bulls were seemingly open to the idea of bringing in the former Warriors lottery pick.

On the one hand, the interest in Chicago makes sense. They are in need of some on-ball scoring and have shown an affinity for long and athletic wings. Kuminga would fit the profile of someone who can attack in transition and put significant pressure on the rim.

Let's also not forget that Bryson Graham acquired Kuminga as part of the Atlanta Hawks only a handful of months ago. He previously served as the Hawks' GM alongside front office leader Onsi Saleh. The two added Kuminga for their postseason push at the deadline in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis. Graham clearly values what Kuminga could bring to the floor in some extent.

On the other hand, Kuminga's fit alongside Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson is iffy at best. He is an unproven floor-spacer and someone who has consistently needed the ball in his hands to be at his best. It perhaps would not have been the best fit for a team looking to develop two other forwards.

It also sure feels like Graham would have snagged Kuminga much earlier had he walked away from Atlanta impressed. Speaking of which, Kuminga still ended up signing a very cost-effective deal. Charania made a point of noting that the Lakers offered similar money over three seasons. In other words, it sure sounds like the Bulls never met that asking price, which speaks to just how active they were in this pursuit.

What Does This Tell Us About Bryson Graham's Bulls?

Jun 17, 2026; Chicago, Il, USA; Chicago Bulls Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Bryson Graham introduces Chicago Bulls new head coach Tiago Splitter during a press conference at Advocate Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

I'll be the first to admit, it's somewhat surprising that the Chicago Bulls were reportedly in the mix for both Bennedict Mathurin and Jonathan Kuminga. Neither was a great fit for this rebuild on paper, which does raise some further questions about what Bryson Graham currently values as he looks to build this team from the ground up.

At the same time, there is a reason that neither ended up in a Bulls uniform. Chicago undoubtedly had the means to secure someone like Kuminga. The fact that they chose not to, however, speaks to Graham's discipline more than anything else. Both may be young pieces who could still develop into quality starters/role players, but the new Bulls front office is clearly only going to do business under their parameters. And you've got to respect that.

Even if the money was on the reasonable side, Graham is clearly being very cautious about his flexibility. It's why we saw him hand a team option to both Norman Powell and Zach Collins – the only two true signings the Bulls made in free agency. There is a good chance this was the strategy he tried to take with Kuminga or Mathurin, but both were able to find a team willing to give them the control.

It's nice to see a new Bulls front office being this careful, especially so early on. Should they be in asset accumulation mode – both in terms of draft picks and young players? Of course! But you also want to ensure you're adding the right pieces and maintaining maximum flexibility.

Having said that, one does have to wonder if a different move could now be on the horizon for Graham. If he was eyeing one of these free agents and missed out, might he try to pivot to fill his final roster spot? This doesn't have to mean grabbing one of the remaining free agents, by the way. Graham could simply be more aggressive in letting organizations know that he's ready to eat some dead money.

The Pelicans have been looking to move off Jordan Hawkins for quite some time, and he fits in the Bulls' room exception! Now with Bennedict Mathurin coming in, they may be even more inclined to incentivize someone to take the guard. Graham is ready for the call!

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