The Charlotte Hornets currently have limited options in free agency, as they still need to cut a couple of players. However, if they did, they should probably be in the mix for Jonathan Kuminga. Given the situation now, it's better for them not to crash the party, but he has recently been mentioned as a potentially great partner for LaMelo Ball in the pick-and-roll.
According to Dan Devine of Yahoo Sports, Kuminga has been "pretty good" at being a roll man when presented the opportunity. However, the Golden State Warriors under Steve Kerr have just been too allergic to running the pick-and-roll. As such, Devine brought up the idea of the embattled forward going to a team that loves the play and is thin at the four spot, like the Hornets.
He noted that Charlotte ended sixth last season in percentage of a squad's offensive possessions that finished with a roll man. In addition, he stated that Ball was "routinely among the highest-volume pick-and-roll guards" in the league.
So, it appears that a Ball-Kuminga could be an even more potent offensive threat than fans ever imagined. Is the 2021 seventh overall pick worth the trouble pursuing, though, when his very public dispute with the Warriors has dominated the headlines this summer?
Warriors' LaMelo Ball blunder indirectly led to their Jonathan Kuminga problem
Interestingly, Golden State would have probably had a relatively quiet offseason had it not snubbed Ball in favor of James Wiseman in the 2020 draft. If the Dubs had Melo bannering their somewhat controversial two-timeline approach, they would likely have been more competitive in recent years, and Kuminga would not be as valuable to their plans as he is at the moment.
Of course, the 2020 draft result ended up benefiting the Hornets. Sure, Golden State did win a championship in 2022, but Buzz City is in a better position to compete in the long run with Ball leading the way and several other key pieces providing him the needed support.
Hopefully, Charlotte finds a way to bolster its frontcourt and provide its cornerstone with better help. Kuminga is unlikely to be part of the franchise's solution, even if he is still available for the taking in restricted free agency or via sign-and-trade. On the other hand, seeking someone similar to him, who can give its struggling offense a boost, might have to be one of its priorities, if not this summer, then in the coming years.