Memphis hasn't been linked to Jonathan Kuminga, and it should stay that way. The Grizzlies already have too many forwards and a rookie to develop first.
Many NBA teams have been linked to forward Jonathan Kuminga this summer. The Memphis Grizzlies have not been one of them:
And it should stay that way.
Some fans could be tempted to call for the front office to pursue him. It would be understandable. Kuminga's potential is tantalizing. Yet, it's easier for fans to be tempted by potential:
Front offices have to be more prudent.
Kuminga Shouldn't Be an Option for the Grizzlies
At some point, potential starts to feel like an empty promise. We're getting to that point with Kuminga. He's about to enter his sixth NBA season, and he has not been a high-impact, winning player yet.
That's not to say he can't get there. Kuminga is still just 23. The potential remains, but his likelihood of reaching it gets lower every year.
When the Atlanta Hawks acquired Kuminga at last season's trade deadline, they surely felt optimistic about that potential. Unfortunately, Kuminga was mostly the same player he's been for his career in Atlanta. In 16 games, Kuminga averaged 12.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game with a 0.1 Box Plus/Minus (BPM).
It's not that Kuminga is a bad player. He's functional as a play finisher and a solid defender. He's just struggled to find a reliable way to create shots. If he's a role player, he's not worth the type of money he's surely seeking as a free agent.
There's also the mechanics of it. Kuminga is a free agent, not a trade target, and Atlanta holds his Bird rights. Any Memphis pursuit would have to run through a sign-and-trade with the Hawks.
Besides, the Grizzlies have enough players to develop.
The Grizzlies Should Develop the Young Players They Have
Every decision the Grizzlies make should be in response to a simple question: does this benefit Cameron Boozer?
It's hard to conclude that a Kuminga addition is in his best interests. He'll want the ball in his hands at times, and Boozer still needs developmental reps. The No. 3 overall pick averaged 18.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.8 steals in Summer League and carried Memphis to the title game, where it lost 94-90 to the Warriors.
Kuminga would also step on Karim López's toes. That's before considering Taylor Hendricks, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, and GG Jackson. Jerami Grant and Kris Murray arrived in the Ja Morant trade, Isaiah Stewart came over from Detroit, and Quinten Post came in from Golden State.
The main point is that the Grizzlies have enough young forwards. Arguably, they have too many. ESPN's Zach Kram made the same observation while grading the Post addition, noting that Memphis is loaded with players best suited to the 4 and the 5. Memphis was carrying 18 standard contracts in late July against a 15-man regular-season limit. There are a lot of mouths to feed here, and there's no reason to bring Kuminga to the table.
It's difficult to imagine where Kuminga will end up. The Lakers have been the most prominent suitor, with the largest offer on the table. The Cavaliers have active sign-and-trade interest of their own, and the Timberwolves emerged recently after missing on LeBron James, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported. Any of those situations would make more sense. These are teams with well-established players who can find a niche for Kuminga.
The Grizzlies should be finding niches for the guys they've handpicked. Memphis won 25 games last season and is in year one of a rebuild built around Boozer. This team has a bright future, and the juice wouldn't be worth the squeeze with Kuminga:
Luckily, they're unlikely to add him anyway.
