NBA Scout Says Cavs Are Best Fit for Hawks FA Jonathan Kuminga

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been among the most frequently linked teams to Atlanta Hawks unrestricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, and one Western Conference scout seems to think that the Cavs are the best fit out there for the former lottery pick.

The scout told Heavy Sports that while Kuminga is risky, Cavs stars James Harden and Donovan Mitchell may be able to get the most out of him.

“I have watched him a lot over the years and the thing he does best is, he can play some defense when he is engaged and focused and all that, but that’s not always the case," the scout began. "But he likes to cut and he likes to get out in transition. He kind of thrives off easy baskets. If you have guys who see the floor like Harden and Mitchell, they can get the most out of him. He’s risky but I think the fit there is the best one for him.”

The Cavs have had a bit of a frustrating offseason, losing out on a homecoming with franchise icon LeBron James and failing to make any major splashes elsewhere. But there is still time for them to improve their roster, particularly at the wing, where they've been linked to both Kuminga and restricted free agent Peyton Watson.

Cleveland recently agreed to trade away veteran guard Dennis Schroder to create some flexibility, and the word is that a trade involving sharpshooter Max Strus could be next. The Cavs seem to be increasing their chances of making a play before the offseason ends, so they are increasingly a team to circle when it comes to Kuminga.

The squad has long needed wing help, and the 23-year-old would be an interesting experiment to try to solve the problem. While he has had his ups and downs in the NBA, he went No. 7 overall for a reason in 2021, and he still has a chance to realize some more of his potential and turn into a key piece.

The Hawks are still involved here because there is a good chance they will be part of a sign-and-trade sending Kuminga to his next stop. It does not appear that they want to take back any players in a scenario like that (after all, they're already over the roster limit), but they may be able to acquire some draft capital, which would be a solid outcome since teams typically lose unrestricted free agents with nothing to show for it.

Between his time with the Golden State Warriors and Hawks last season, Kuminga averaged 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from long range. He has averaged as many as 16.1 points per game at the NBA level, a mark that he'd surely love to exceed at some point in his career.

The Cavs are a team to watch as they look to build off their Eastern Conference Finals trip last season.