Jul 16, 2026 9:54 PM
Updated Jul 31, 2026 5:02 AM

The Cleveland Cavaliers have emerged as a Jonathan Kuminga suitor, and a sign-and-trade sending Max Struss to Atlanta could make sense for both sides.

The Jonathan Kuminga saga continues for the Atlanta Hawks.

Kuminga's next team is anyone's guess. There remains a possibility that the Hawks will retain him. The Los Angeles Lakers also loom as a suitor. Now, a new candidate for Kuminga's services has emerged. The Cleveland Cavaliers allegedly have some interest in the young wing.

From the Hawks' perspective, a sign-and-trade would be ideal. That would mean they'd get something in return for Kuminga:

What do the Cavaliers have to offer?

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Looking at the Cavs' roster (and not knowing what contract they'll offer Kuminga), there are two viable options: Max Struss and Dennis Schroder.

Some may point to Jarrett Allen. Perhaps he's an option as well, but he'd be worth considerably more than Kuminga on the open market. The Hawks would have to give up first-round draft capital in that scenario, so it feels less realistic.

Meanwhile, both Struss and Schroder have their own appeal. From a fit perspective, Struss is the better option. He shot 40.2% from three-point range last season. Struss could replace Corey Kispert in the rotation.

Then, Schroder is the sentimental favorite. He had the best years of his career in Atlanta. That said, he's still a serviceable rotation guard. He may be the team's third option behind CJ McCollum and Kingston Flemings, but he's a better distributor than the former, and far more experienced than the latter. There could be times in the season when the Hawks prefer to put Schroder on the floor.

Should they reunite with their former floor general?

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Honestly, probably not.

Yes, Schroder would have some value. That said, he has two years remaining on his contract. Having just drafted Flemings, it would arguably be more sensible to preserve his spot in the rotation.

By contrast, Struss would be an excellent addition to this roster. If anything, it's uncertain whether the Cavs would truly be interested in flipping Struss for Kuminga. They're a win-now team, and Struss is, as it stands, a more useful win-now player.

That's not the Hawks' concern. They're also firmly in win-now mode, so if the Cavaliers want to roll the dice on Kuminga's higher upside, that's their business. So, if a sign-and-trade of Kuminga for Struss is an option, the Hawks should be very interested in that possibility.

For now, nobody knows where Kuminga will end up.

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