Jonathan Kuminga already went through an elongated restricted free agency with the Golden State Warriors last offseason, and now his next contract problem could already be emerging at the Atlanta Hawks after being traded at February's mid-season deadline.
John Hollinger of The Athletic has predicted the Hawks will opt out of Kuminga's $24.3 million team option for next season, but the problem for the young forward is that his new deal may once again not be exactly to his liking.
Jonathan Kuminga faces another potential free agency problem
Kuminga certainly proved his talent in certain games after the trade, yet Hollinger and his BORD$ tool only has the former seventh overall pick worth $9.4 million per year as a bench player in the league.
Hollinger could see the Hawks picking up the team option to use in a trade, otherwise they may opt out and try to re-sign Kuminga at a lower annual salary, or even just let the 23-year-old walk to another team as an unrestricted free agent.
"BORD$ still values him as a high-end reserve, with his $9.4 million valuation falling well short of the contract dollars. I could see the Hawks picking up the option to use his contract in a trade, but it’s more likely that they decline it and either re-up at a lower number or move on," Hollinger wrote.
This is not the sort of projection that Kuminga would want to hear, particularly after wanting a three or four-year deal at $25 million annually last season, only to be forced to settle for a two-year, $46.8 million deal with a second year team option that was on Golden State's terms.
Kuminga would be hoping his camp could execute a new contract with the Hawks that nears $25 million per year on a multi-year deal, but this Hollinger prediction paints a fairly bleak picture of being able to land that.
Jonathan Kuminga could be involved in Jaylen Brown
Atlanta could be working on a trade that involves Kuminga in the coming days, having been viewed as a potential third team in a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade that would deliver them Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics.
Kuminga would almost certainly be included for salary-matching reasons and given his similar skillset to Brown, yet it could be the best thing for him should he land at a Bucks team looking to rebuild after an Antetokounmpo trade.
If that doesn't come to fruition, Kuminga could be in for another tough free agency process, though not one that will deliver the same level of publicity and discussion that his negotiations with the Warriors did 12 months ago.
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