The free agent market for forward Jonathan Kuminga just got a whole lot clearer with some huge names reportedly off the board. NBA insiders are telling us that Klay Thompson and DeMar DeRozan have committed to new teams, narrowing down Kuminga’s potential landing spots big time. This is it, folks, the musical chairs are really starting to wind down.
Klay and DeRozan Shake Up the League
Listen, the dominos are falling. Shams Charania reported Friday that the Miami Heat are expected to sign Klay Thompson after his buyout by the Dallas Mavericks clears waivers. The Heat are on track to use most of their remaining midlevel exception to get him, according to the Miami Herald. That’s a huge move for Miami, using up a chunk of their cap. Then, Chris Haynes dropped the news later that same day: the Denver Nuggets are signing DeMar DeRozan. So, two major pieces in the free agent puzzle are now gone, and that obviously changes the game for guys like Kuminga. Other teams had already taken themselves out of the running, too. The Cleveland Cavaliers approached the first luxury tax apron by signing Peyton Watson and James Harden. And the Hawks, who actually declined Kuminga’s team option, spent their offseason adding former Oklahoma City Thunder players Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort.
Where Does Kuminga Go Next?
With those big names locked in and other teams tapped out, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers remain the top potential landing spots for Kuminga. HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported the Timberwolves “expressed interest” in Kuminga after missing out on LeBron James. The Wolves seriously have their “starting power forward spot up for grabs and their $6.06 million taxpayer mid-level exception available for the taking.” That’s a sweet spot for Kuminga to slide into, isn’t it? On the Lakers side, The Athletic’s Dan Woike previously reported interest, but by July, “momentum has stalled with the sides far apart on terms.” Woike noted that the Lakers weren’t “overly motivated to push significant draft capital into sign-and-trade scenarios.” However, don’t count them out yet! ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on “The Hoop Collective” podcast that he still feels there’s “a window” for the Lakers to complete a sign-and-trade deal involving Kuminga and Lakers guard Jaden Hardy.
With final NBA roster spots filling up fast, teams have about two months left to make their moves before Opening Day rosters are locked in on October 19. It’s crunch time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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