Nets Linked to Jonathan Kuminga: Good or Bad for Brooklyn?

The Brooklyn Nets are a particular name to watch out for in the 2025 NBA offseason for a multitude of reasons. They have an immense amount of draft capital, but also some of the best salary cap flexibility in the league. The Nets are certainly in the market for a top free agent this summer, it's just a matter of who they go after: youth or an established star?

There have been reports of Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo being a target for Brooklyn, but a much younger name has also been linked to the franchise for months. Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga is a major name to watch not just for the Nets, but for other young teams looking to rebuild.

This quote by Sean Marks about trading for a star 👀👀

“This can’t be like let’s go get this [guy] and lock ourselves into being a 6-7 seed. When we go all-in, you’re going in to compete at the highest level and contend.”

Favorite quote of the day. pic.twitter.com/KCIxLqLTy1
— Brooklyn Netcast (@BrooklynNetcast) April 14, 2025

Kuminga first began being linked to the Nets back in October when he and the Warriors failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension. The deadline for 2021 draftees was Oct. 21, meaning Kuminga will join a few other names in that draft class in restricted free agency this summer.

The 22-year-old has struggled to find minutes on Golden State since the team acquired Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline. Butler has impacted the team tremendously, but it has come at the cost of Kuminga's playing time. This could warrant a new situation for the fourth-year player, with Brooklyn at the top of the list.

Kuminga was still able to showcase great potential this season, first making a name for himself in 2024. He averaged an impressive 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game last season, while this year, he's averaging 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists.

While the potential is certainly there, many Nets fans are against them going after Kuminga. The main argument is that he doesn't necessarily move the needle for Brooklyn.

The 6-foot-7 forward is a great slasher who has shown solid defense over the years, but his jump shot is the biggest question mark. His three-point percentage has dipped as he's taken more shots throughout his career, going from 37% in year two to 30.5% this season, the lowest yet.

While there are certainly flaws to his game, the rebuttal to that from pro-Kuminga Nets fans has been his youth. He's only 22 with plenty of room to grow in the future, but the two most important things Brooklyn has are time and money to spend. The Nets can invest in the forward and focus on his development alongside star shooting guard Cam Thomas.

While Antetokounmpo is certainly a needle-mover and a viable target, Brooklyn also may not want to invest too much in win-now talent. What do the Nets have that would separate them from the Bucks? Pivoting to a young player like Kuminga gives Brooklyn a better timeline and the opportunity for a proper rebuild.