The Chicago Bulls are entering a new era, and while they have more than enough talent to build for the future, they also have roster spots to fill. They have plenty of financial wiggle room, and adding veterans to mold the youngsters never hurts.
The Bulls should be looking for talent rather than fit at this moment. That said, they shouldn't keep tabs on every former lottery pick who's still young and available. Some guys haven't found their footing for a reason.
That's why they should want no part of Jonathan Kuminga. NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported the Bulls might be interested in him, given his ties to Bryson Graham, but given the way he's fared so far, that should be a hard pass.
The Bulls should want no part of Jonathan Kuminga right now
A potential interest in Kuminga makes sense to a degree. Graham was with the Hawks when they traded for him last season, so he must have done his due diligence on him and be a fan of his game. That said, the Hawks declined his player option and haven't made a run at him, so they clearly weren't that impressed.
Kuminga was a perennial headache for the Golden State Warriors. He showed flashes but refused to be coached, ostracized himself from his veteran teammates, and openly defied his coach when he didn't get playing time. Then, when he finally got on the court, he didn't do much to help his case.
That's not the type of energy you want around young players. You don't want them to pick up those habits. Also, with Matas Buzelis, Caleb Wilson, and Noa Essengue, there's already a bit of a logjam in the frontcourt, and they don't need someone else hogging shots when there are guys to develop.
Kuminga is as empty-calorie as they come. His numbers might look solid in a vacuum, and his athleticism is undeniably and fairly impressive, so it's easy to be fooled and talk oneself into thinking it might work out this time.
That's not usually the way things go with players like that. Chances are, he'll join a bad team, put up empty numbers, and start complaining about the team's lack of success, burning bridges, and forcing his way out because he feels he deserves better. Wash, rinse, and repeat; we've seen that story happen countless times in this league.
Kuminga might still turn out to be a good player, but the Bulls have plenty on their plate as it is. Let him be someone else's problem. If they happen to hit the jackpot with him, so be it; he's just not worth the trouble or fit any need.
| More Bulls News and Rumors |
Add us as a preferred source on Google