Chicago Bulls Might Have Exactly What the Warriors Want in Jonathan Kuminga Trade

If the Chicago Bulls still have an itch for Jonathan Kuminga, they can finally scratch it.

The two sides have been connected multiple times in the past, as Arturas Karnisovas' front office has shown an increasing interest in buying low on former lottery picks. He first did so with Josh Giddey, who has quickly turned into a key piece of the organization's future. We saw him do it again this summer by swapping Lonzo Ball for Isaac Okoro, who has started every game he's appeared in this season. Might Kuminga be a logical next piece of the puzzle?

For what it's worth, even if the Bulls have remained interested in his services, they have not been able to have earnest conversations with Golden State. Unlike the many other players who signed new deals this offseason, it wasn't until today (January 15) that Kuminga's trade restriction was finally lifted. The Warriors have also been rather coy about whether or not they are willing to part ways with the young swingman. They could have made a larger effort to move on from him this offseason, yet they still inked him to a new – yet tradeable – two-year contract.

Nevertheless, the Warriors may not be able to delay things any longer. Today's lifted trade restriction has reportedly come alongside an instant trade demand from Kuminga's camp, per ESPN's Shams Charania. While the Warriors do not have to oblige, Charania shares that "essentially every major figure" inside the organization believes it's best to move on.

To be sure, Chicago was not immediately named as a suitor in ESPN's report. They also didn't come up in The Athletic's piece on the Kuminga situation this morning. Instead, the Kings and Mavericks have both been mentioned, but does that mean the Bulls have taken their hat out of the ring? I wouldn't be so sure.

Will Bulls & Warriors Discuss Jonathan Kuminga?

Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warrior — Dec 2, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (1) shoots the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Just last week, the Bulls were still being named as a potential suitor for Jonathan Kuminga. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line also name-dropped them in his article published on January 12, reiterating the previous ties and Golden State's prior interest in Nikola Vucevic.

I also couldn't help but stop at a specific line in Shams Charania's most recent report on Kuminga's trade request. With the Warriors' leverage seemingly dropping, they now sound less eager to land draft capital or young talent in return:

"League sources said the Warriors have been prioritizing expiring contracts in return for Kuminga. They've declined the idea of taking back long-term contracts unless they view it as no-brainer positive value," Charania wrote. "That has been the holdup in conversations with Sacramento. The Warriors refuse to absorb the three years and $60.4 million remaining on Malik Monk's deal, though league sources said Keon Ellis (on a cheap expiring deal) is a potential sweetener of interest to them."

If it's expiring money the Golden State Warriors want, the Chicago Bulls become that much more of an obvious trade partner.

The organization has seven expiring deals on its roster. They also happen to have instant impact talent that can help the win-now Warriors push for the postseason. We already know that the Golden State had an interest in Nikola Vucevic last season, as they were keen on pairing Stephen Curry with a more established stretch five. With Kuminga making $22.5 million this season and Vucevic sitting at $21.4 million, a trade could be as simple as that. And we all know Karnisovas loves his one-for-one swaps!

Even if Chicago had to throw in a second-round pick, this might be a deal the front office has to consider. While I have my questions regarding Kuminga's fit alongside Matas Buzelis, who remains the Bulls' most vital building block, this is a franchise in need of young talent. Adding someone with Kuminga's continued upside for nothing more than an expiring veteran could be hard to turn down.

With that said, I have to imagine the Warriors will push for more. Whether it be Daniel Gafford from Dallas or Keon Ellis from Sacramento, those are two players who could offer even more value to the franchise long-term. But what if the Bulls decided to work something out that included either Coby White or Ayo Dosunmu? The Warriors would likely have to be willing to give up more than just Kuminga, but both could make sense for a team that is struggling to stay in the top half of the NBA offensively. Not to mention, White and Dosunmu are also on expiring deals.

I know this might sound as if I'm advocating for a Kuminga deal, but I wouldn't go that far. His inconsistency in Golden State is a real concern, as is the fact that a respected head coach like Steve Kerr appears to have his doubts about Kuminga's impact on winning. Likewise, the Bulls need to be cautious about leaving space for Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue to develop. However, we're also talking about a team that has sat at 18-21 through 39 games in four straight seasons. Adding talent is what matters most.

If the Warriors are desperate to move off Kuminga and primarily want flexibility for the future, the Bulls can help them accomplish that. Even better for Chicago, they can make the move knowing they have a chance to evaluate Kuminga's fit with their current "core." They have a team option for $24.3 million in 2026-27, meaning they can either move on as soon as this offseason or pick it up and have Kuminga play a prove-it year. In other words, if optionality is still important to the front office at this deadline, they would have that with Kuminga.