The Golden State Warriors certainly seem to be on pace to trade away Jonathan Kuminga this season.
Despite signing the veteran forward to a multi-year deal over the offseason, the mid-January timeframe still seemed like a logical period to keep in mind, as that's when Kuminga becomes trade-eligible again.
The Sacramento Kings might've been the favorites over the summer, but the NBA Insider Marc Stein has an Eastern Conference team to keep an eye on: the Chicago Bulls.
The Latest Link Between the Bulls and the Warriors
"I was advised this week that Chicago should continue to be classified as a team to watch when it comes to Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga," Marc Stein wrote.
"The Warriors are increasingly expected to trade Kuminga between Jan. 15 - who is not trade-eligible this season until that date - and the Feb. 5 trade deadline. And Chicago has certainly registered trade interest in Kuminga in the past, bringing up the 23-year-old in negotiations with Golden State on trades that never came to fruition in which the Warriors were engaged in talks of varying degrees of seriousness featuring Alex Caruso, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević."
The Bulls started the 2025-2026 NBA season as one of the top teams. They were shocking the league, but it wasn't long before they were brought back down to earth.
Heading into their Friday night matchup against the Charlotte Hornets, the Bulls hold a 9-14 record, placing them 11th in the Eastern Conference. They are on a seven-game skid.
Chicago has looked like one of the conference's rebuilding teams lately, but their front office has kept win-now moves in mind. Kuminga falls in between that.
On one hand, Kuminga has plenty of experience as a veteran forward, with a championship on his resume. He's been involved with three playoff runs, participating in 34 postseason games.
On the other hand, Kuminga is young and would like to land in a position where he can move up the food chain and become a core piece on a team. Going to a team like the Bulls, playing alongside the re-signed Josh Giddey, would be a great opportunity for Kuminga to start fresh.
In 275 career games, Kuminga has posted averages of 12.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. He has shot 50 percent from the field and 33 percent from beyond the arc.
This year, Kuminga is pulling in $22.5 million. Next summer, Kuminga will either stick with a team on a $24.3 million salary, or hit the free agency market for the second year in a row.
Picking up Kuminga midway through the year would be a decent opportunity for the Bulls to figure out whether he fits or not. If it doesn't work out, they can simply cut ties early. If they are still curious, he can play on a one-year option. If all looks great, then the Bulls can negotiate a long-term deal.
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