What Would a Sign-and-Trade for Jonathan Kuminga Look Like for the Clippers

While most of the attention has been given to the Kawhi Leonard saga, the Los Angeles Clippers are also conducting their offseason business. They still have a roster to build for next season, regardless of whether Kawhi Leonard is on the team.

One of the players they are rumored to be targeting is unrestricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. After the Atlanta Hawks turned down his $24.3 million team option for next season, the 23-year-old is on the market.

Just like last summer, Kuminga's free agency has lasted longer than he would like. A year ago, he ended up returning to the Golden State Warriors on a 1+1 deal and was eventually traded to the Hawks mid-season. Now, it seems less likely that he will return to his team.

The problem for the athletic forward is that there is no cap space left around the league, and the Hawks don't seem too interested in bringing him back.

According to Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor, Kuminga "wants an annual deal in the $15-20 million range." The only way Kuminga can get over the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which starts at $15.1 million next season, would be a sign-and-trade.

The Clippers, along with the Cavs, Lakers, and Bucks, are considered to be the main Kuminga suitors. What would they have to give up to acquire Kuminga?

What Do the Clippers Have to Offer in a Kuminga Trade?

Anything that the Clippers have to include would have to be of interest to Atlanta. Otherwise, they have no incentive to engage in the sign-and-trade discussions. Not only do the Clippers have to agree on a contract with Kuminga, but they also have to offer the Hawks enough to convince them to trade the former Warrior to LA.

The easiest path to matching salaries in the $15-20 million range for the Clippers would be to include two of Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn, Brook Lopez, and Isaiah Jackson.

Jones Jr. and Dunn are good two-way veterans on team-friendly deals. They could help any team, but the Hawks have a ton of quality defensive players on the perimeter like Dyson Daniels, Lu Dort, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Jalen Johnson. They don't necessarily have a need for Jones Jr. or Dunn, but you can never have too many players who can defend on the wing in the NBA.

Lopez and Jackson could work for salary-matching purposes, but they are less likely to help a team trying to make a deep postseason run.

Alternatively, the Clippers have a $17 million trade exception from the John Collins-to-Detroit deal from this summer. They could just give the Hawks draft capital and absorb Kuminga into that exception.

Whether the Clippers would prefer to give up picks or players in the trade is currently unclear. But one has to imagine that the front office would be very hesitant to give up a first-round pick given where the franchise is at the moment.

It's hard to imagine any team is willing to give up assets of real value for Kuminga. So, the Clippers could acquire him without giving up anything significant. Even then, a commitment above $15 million per year for Kuminga may not be the best use of the Clippers' resources. Whether GM Lawrence Frank and the front office agree remains to be seen.

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