How The Hawks Can Get Better In A Jonathan Kuminga Sign-And-Trade

The Atlanta Hawks need to figure out a resolution to the Jonathan Kuminga situation sooner rather than later.

While it won't be the difference between Atlanta winning or losing a playoff series, the opportunity to give Kuminga a better opportunity while extracting significant value is something that shouldn't be ignored. The Hawks can sign him to a new deal that pays him $20+ million and gives him long-term security while using that salary to get someone who makes more sense with their roster.

The team that stands out for Kuminga is the Los Angeles Lakers. Although they signed Ziare Williams recently, ESPN's Shams Charania acknowledged that they are still very much in the mix for Kuminga's services. He had this to say about the situation:

"Lakers reach a deal with Williams and CAA Co-Head of Basketball Aaron Mintz to address their wing depth — and LA continues to strongly pursue Jonathan Kuminga as a potential starting forward."

The Lakers seem commited to going all-in on Luka Doncic's prime in Los Angeles. They've re-signed Austin Reaves because he plays well with Doncic and traded almost all of their remaining assets for Walker Kessler to slot in as their new starting center. As part of that deal, they also gave him a new contract with an average salary of $30+ million. Signing veterans like Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvilli and Collin Sexton further elucidate that they are in a win-now timeline. Therefore, they need to explore moves that will make them better in the short term without giving up assets.

Therefore, a deal that sends Kuminga to Los Angeles and nets Atlanta a player who can improve on their weaknesses would be ideal. Outside of Luka, that player does not exist on the Lakers' roster. However, by bringing in a third team, they can turn this deal into an attractive proposition for everyone.

Here's what it might look like.

The Potential Trade

Myles Turner, Turner, Hawks, Atlanta Hawks, NB — Mar 4, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu (17) looks for a shot against Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner (3) in the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Hawks Receive: Myles Turner, 2031 2nd round pick (via WAS, from LAL) and 2033 2nd round pick (via LAL)

Lakers Receive: Jonathan Kuminga (re-signed to 4-year, $85.5 million), Jericho Sims

Bucks Receive: Zaccharie Risacher, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, 2029 1st-round pick (via Atlanta, top-five protected), 2027 2nd round pick (via ATL), 2029 2nd round pick (via ATL)

Why The Hawks Would Do This Deal

Myles Turner is a hard player to grade because he was a critical part of a Finals run two years ago and is coming off a very forgettable season with the Bucks. However, I'd argue that he makes a lot of sense for the Hawks even if he is signed on a long-term deal. He's always been a great shot blocker and he maintained the same BLK% of 6% between his last year in Indiana and first year with Milwaukee. The combination of Turner and Giannis together was pretty good in limited minutes - they had a net rating of 6.3 and an excellent offensive rating of 121.6. He didn't really have chemistry with either Ryan Rollins or Kevin Porter Jr and the production showed that.

There's been a lot of discussion over whether Turner is actually a good defender. I'd say that he is proof that getting a lot of blocks doesn't always mean that a player is a great rim protector. It's true that the Bucks' defense had a below-average defensive rating of 117 when he was on the court. However, Milwaukee's defense had a rating of 124 when he sat. For some reference, the Wizards had a defensive rating of 121.5 this season and they were last in the NBA. The Bucks were completely hopeless on defense when neither him or Giannis were in the game and the Hawks will be a much better defensive context. Dyson Daniels alone is miles better than anyone Milwaukee had to throw at opponents on the perimeter, Onyeka Okongwu is much better defensively than his physical measurements would suggest and Jalen Johnson is a decent defender in isolation.

He can also shoot at an above-average clip for an NBA center and he's coming off a season where he shot 38.3% from deep on 5.4 attempts a game. If they made this deal, they'd have two centers that both shoot above 37% from deep on legitimate volume last season. The last team that could claim to match that was the 2024 Boston Celtics - that idea worked out pretty well.

More than anything, it improves Atlanta's depth and gives them another guy who can contribute something in the playoffs at a premium position. That's worth a protected first-round pick, especially when considering that they're replacing a player who fell out of the rotation entirely in Zaccharie Risacher.

Why the Lakers Would Do This Deal

Kuminga would be able to pop in LA in a way that was never going to happen in Atlanta. Doncic and Reaves are two of the best high-volume shooters in the NBA and both can use him as a lob threat. Kuminga does put a lot of pressure on the rim and he's shown signs of being more viable as a defender. He's entering his age-24 season and the Lakers will be paying him as he's likely entering his prime. There are plenty of athletic wings have seen their production spike as a result of playing with Doncic and Kuminga could be the next one to benefit.

They also do need a player who can play PF for them. Quentin Grimes has some experience as a SF and Doncic is massive for the PG position, so they can make it work from that standpoint. However, they'd currently be playing Mamukelashvilli as a starter if they kept their current roster build. That's going to be extremely hard to figure out defensively. Kuminga would provide a solution - albeit an imperfect one - to that issue.

Furthermore, they could also craft the contract in a way that's descending so that it makes sense for the Lakers. Here's an example of how it might look:

Year 1 - $24 million

Year 2 - $21.4 million

Year 3 - $20 million

Year 4 (player option) - $20 million

For this deal, he'd essentially keep the same salary he was making on the deal he signed with Golden State and secure some long-term money while also keeping his options open with a player option in Year 4. He'd be firmly in his prime at 28 years old and might earn himself a third contract if he plays well with LA.

Jericho Sims would also be an interesting add for the Lakers. Sims is already 27 years old, so he doesn't really fit Milwaukee's timeline. There's a lot more upside in LA where he can benefit from Doncic's proficiency in the P&R and it's an interesting flyer for them to take.

Why the Bucks Would Do This Deal

Since Milwaukee is entering a rebuild without control of their first-round picks, they need to figure out how they can get more picks to re-shape their roster and remain competitive. Adding a lot of wings who might eventually turn into rotation players is a decent strategy to take.

By making this deal, the Bucks would have acquired a ton of interesting wing options in Jaime Jaquez Jr, Pelle Larsson, Zaccharie Risacher, Brayden Burries and Nate Ament. They can surround Tyler Herro with a ton of perimeter defenders who can also space the floor at times and they could even flip Herro at the deadline to a team that has a vacancy in the backcourt.

Risacher is also a intriguing player for the Bucks to add. There's some comparisons between him and Nate Ament, so it's possible he proves to be redundant. Even so, the Bucks have a ton of playing time to offer and that's exactly what he needs. He would also benefit from a ball-handler who can consistently hit him as a catch-and-shoot option. Rollins, Burries, Herro and Kevin Porter Jr are all capable of that.

LaRavia and Vanderbilt aren't necessarily great options, but they are both veteran wings who've had strong seasons in the past and their contracts won't pose any long-term problems for the Bucks. Vanderbilt's also a massive injury risk, so he won't necessarily cut into any playing time for the young guys because his minutes need to be managed carefully.

However, the real upside of this deal is that it makes the Bucks a pick-neutral team again. They can't get their 2027 first-round pick back through protection rules, but they would be practically guaranteed a selection in every draft from 2028 onwards. There's a chance that Atlanta could land a top-five pick in 2029 and defer the selection, but that's likely going to be the apex of this Hawks roster and it would be very suprising if that happens.

Landing a first-round pick and an interesting wing prospect in exchange for sending Myles Turner elsewhere and taking on some bad contracts that will be off the books by 2028 is a completely fair proposition for Milwaukee. The only problem is that it will be hard to figure out minutes for everyone, but that's a fine problem to have for the Bucks at this stage.

Why This Deal Wouldn't Happen

Even though there are a lot of benefits to this trade, there are some clear drawbacks for everyone. Kuminga is still a pretty limited player at this stage and the offense didn't exactly thrive when he and the Hawks' big playmaker, Jalen Johnson, played together. The Hawks would also be giving up a first-round pick for a 30-year old center who's under contract for the next three seasons. Milwauke might struggle to find minutes for all of these young players and end up with a roster where they end up developing no one of real value.

Regardless, I do think it's a deal that could happen later in the offseason if the Lakers get more desperate and Kuminga can't find alternate options.

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