Breaking down Jonathan Kuminga's Options and Why Atlanta Stands Out Above the Rest

We are entering another week of Jonathan Kuminga watch.

The talented 23-year old is still an unrestricted free agent and one of the only big names still out there un-signed on the market. Kuminga, LeBron James, Peyton Watson, and Jalen Duren are the names to know and there has not been a lot of momentum for any of those four players to land anywhere.

The Lakers, Bucks, and Cavaliers continue to be mentioned as the top outside contenders for Kuminga, but there is just one problem with all of those teams. None of them can currently sign Kuminga for the kind of salary that he wants, and any deal for him to land with one of those three teams would likely have to be via sign-and-trade.

The Atlanta Hawks have his bird rights and would also have to agree to any sign-and-trades involving Kuminga.

Let's break down these options and talk about where Kuminga could land.

Kuminga's options

Apr 18, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga (0) dribbles during the second half of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One thing to note before we break down these teams, this analysis is based on the assumption that Kuminga is not going to take a veteran minimum or some sort of drastic pay cut. If Kuminga really wanted to play for any team outside of Atlanta, that would impact this, but there has been no reporting suggesting that is on the table for Kuminga.

Let's start by breaking down the outside choices.

The easiest one to put aside right now is the Cleveland Cavaliers. Until LeBron James signs with his new team, the Cavaliers are going to be closed for business. It is possible that Cleveland begins to heavily pursue Kuminga if they were to miss out on James, but it would have to be via sign-and-trade.

What could a sign-and-trade with the Cavaliers look like? The three players that the Cavaliers would likely part with in that scenario would be Max Strus, Sam Merrill, and Dennis Schroder. Strus is an expiring contract, Merrill is on a very manageable contract, and I don't think Atlanta would want to bring back Schroder's deal to their cap sheet. That is a more intriguing offer than the Lakers, but not one that would be thrilling for the Hawks.

The Bucks have not been mentioned as much as the Lakers or Cavaliers and currently, they have 16 players on their roster, not including the insane contract that Gary Trent Jr signed over the weekend. The sign and trade options are not likely to be attractive to the Hawks either, meaning I don't see the Bucks as being a realistic option for Kuminga, unless he wanted to sign for a low number.

The Lakers are the team that had the most momentum last week, with a potential sign-and-trade deal centered around Jarred Vanderbilt and a 2032 first-round pick swap, but reports have indicated the Hawks hold no interest in acquiring Vanderbilt. If the Lakers can't salary dump Vanderbilt elsewhere, I don't see Kuminga landing in Los Angeles, barring a change of heart coming from Atlanta.

That leads us back to the Hawks.

If Kuminga is not taking a drastic pay cut, the Hawks have some leverage here in any sign-and-trade scenario. Unless a trade benefits them, they don't have to agree to anything. which is why I think that Kuminga coming back to Atlanta has a better chance of happening than you think.

The Hawks would be better with Kuminga on the roster. He was their best bench player by far after the All-Star Break and provides rim pressure and athleticism, not to mention he was a better defender than expected. The Hawks bench faces some uncertainities right now once you get past Jock Landale, Aaron Wiggins, and Kingston Flemings.

However, the Hawks are in a bit of a roster crunch right now. They have 16 standard contracts on their books, and if they added Kuminga, they would need to move at least two players on their roster, either by waiving them or by trading them. Those kinds of moves could be made before making any attempt to bring back Kuminga, so keep an eye out on any moves the Hawks might make.

Kuminga is talented enough to be a factor for any team that he signs with, but given his options and the fact that Atlanta would have to facilitate any sign-and-trade deal, it does seem like the Hawks might be his best option in terms of finances. Would he be ok with coming back to Atlanta in a role off the bench, or does he want to be a starter, something only the Lakers and perhaps Milwaukee could offer?

Kuminga is in a fascinating situation and his decision will be one of the big stories in the next stage of the offseason.

Add us as a preferred source on Google