The Cleveland Cavaliers have their eyes on Jonathan Kuminga. But actually getting him in free agency looks like a puzzle with too many pieces and no picture on the box.
Kuminga brings exactly the kind of athletic swingman juice the Cavs could use. He’s 23, he’s got untapped potential, and he already knows Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson from their three years together with the Warriors. Atkinson coached him, saw the raw talent up close, and reportedly believes there’s more there than what Golden State ever unlocked.
Here’s where it gets messy.
The Cavs are about $18 million below the luxury tax line before they even think about signing James Harden. And Harden isn’t taking $18 million a year. He opted out of $42.3 million to help the Cavs chase LeBron James, but that flexibility only goes so far. Fedor from The Plain Dealer put it bluntly on 92.3 The Fan: once Harden signs a deal worth roughly $30 million annually, the Cavs no longer have the room to offer Kuminga the $15 million per year he wants.
“Plan B has always been Jonathan Kuminga, but the Jonathan Kuminga conversation related to the Cavs is very, very complicated. There’s nothing straightforward about it because of the financial situation the Cavs are in,” Fedor said.
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It’s not just the money. It’s the minutes. The Cavs already have a solid rotation at forward. Jaylon Tyson started at the three last season. Isaac Okoro is still there. Even if Kuminga could slot into the starting lineup or bring scoring punch off the bench, Cleveland would have to clear a path. And they’d have to do it while staying under the second apron, which makes sign-and-trade scenarios incredibly tricky.
“They can be really, really creative with it. But that becomes complicated as well because of apron rules, hard caps, and stuff like that,” Fedor added.
Kuminga played only 36 games last season because of injuries and a crowded Warriors rotation. He averaged 12.2 points and 5.6 rebounds, which is solid but not the kind of production that forces a team to break the bank. The upside is real though. He’s the kind of player who could look a lot better with consistent minutes and a coach who believes in him.
The Cavs have options but no easy ones. They could try a sign-and-trade. They could wait and see if Harden takes less than expected. They could walk away entirely and pivot to cheaper depth. But right now, the math doesn’t add up without some serious creativity or a concession from Kuminga’s camp.
And in a league where every dollar gets counted against the tax and the apron, complicated usually means expensive.
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