In the previous months, Jonathan Kuminga's name had been floated as a possible target for the Charlotte Hornets. In theory, he would have been a solid frontcourt addition because of his offensive prowess. However, his stalemate with the Golden State Warriors shows why the Hornets did well not listening to our suggestion to pursue Kuminga.
The potential star-in-the-making is currently embroiled in a very public free agency standoff with Golden State.
He is currently a restricted free agent, but the offers he has gotten from his incumbent employer have not been to his liking. The 22-year-old forward is reportedly seeking an annual salary of around $30 million (significantly above what the Warriors are willing to shell out) and a no-trade clause, presumably to ensure he doesn't get shipped to a team he dislikes.
On the court, he wants to be a top offensive option and believes the Dubs have stunted his growth.
Jonathan Kuminga would have been a misfit in Charlotte after all
If the reports are true, the Hornets would have dug themselves into a deeper hole than they are already in had they gone after Kuminga. The franchise likely wouldn't have been able to give him the contract and role he wants. The good news is that it may not have really been interested in him, or at least not as much as some media personalities and sportswriters covering Buzz City were.
Trading for him wouldn't have worked either, as the Warriors appear to have set too steep an asking price for their former first-round selection. Based on the proposals from the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings that they have reportedly rejected, Charlotte would have likely needed to part ways with a future first-round pick, a rotation player, and a promising prospect to have a shot at landing Kuminga.
As of now, Golden State is said to have halted any trade talks, and the expectation is that he will remain on the squad once the regular season opens. Things will probably only change if the Kings or Suns are desperate enough to give in to the Warriors' demand.
Fortunately, Charlotte doesn't have to go all-out for a fringe star like Kuminga, as it already has a couple of cornerstones in LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller and has brought in studs from the 2025 draft.
It's worth noting that the former NBA G League Ignite standout could have helped boost the Hornets' miserable offense from last season. However, chasing Kuminga would have been unnecessarily costly.