The Brooklyn Nets are predicted to cut ties with their 3-and-D star Cam Johnson in the offseason.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley projects a potential sign-and-trade scenario where the Warriors send the 6-foot-8 Johnson to the Golden State Warriors for restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga.
“The Nets have most often been mentioned as Kuminga’s potential poacher, and Brooklyn still seems his likeliest landing spot if he heads elsewhere.
The Nets have the most money to spend, plus they have clear needs for creation, scoring, athleticism and general potential.
The questions, then, are two-fold: What will it cost to fend off the Warriors, and would this require a sign-and-trade to get down? The answers are unknown at this time, but it feels like he’ll get less than the $30 million-plus salary he reportedly sought before the season, and it would be easiest for everyone involved if a sign-and-trade comes together,” Buckley wrote.
Nets’ Interest Dates Back to Last Year
Getty Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors and Cameron Johnson of the Brooklyn Nets are predicted to swap places.
Last year, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported the Nets as the team that is most likely to throw a large offer sheet at Kuminga.
“There have already been rumblings of Brooklyn potentially willing to throw a big offer sheet at Jonathan Kuminga,” Fischer reported on his weekly Bleacher Report’s “NBA Insider Notebook” live stream on October 25, 2024.
ESPN’s front office insider Bobby Marks pegged the Nets to be the only team to have at least $40 million in cap space this summer.
Kuminga’s camp was “aiming for” a $35 million annual average salary, The Athletic reported in the fall, but the Warriors were only willing to go $30 million during their failed negotiation before the season.
Johnson is due for less than what Kuminga is seeking. The 6-foot-8 Johnson, who is a 39.2% career 3-point shooter, will enter the third year of a four-year, $100 million contract next season.
The 28-year-old Johnson averaged a career-high 18.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists, but he lacks the ceiling that Kuminga has.
After the Nets lucked out in the NBA Draft lottery, falling to No. 8, they could take a flier on Kuminga and develop him into a star.
Jonathan Kuminga’s Untapped Potential
The 22-year-old Kuminga has untapped potential with his short leash under Steve Kerr.
His last three games against a Minnesota Timberwolves team that has solid perimeter and frontcourt defense is a testament of Kuminga’s potential as a go-to scorer. The best stretch of his young career in the postseason saw him average 23.7 points on a 60/44/82 shooting split, along with 3.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in the Warriors’ last three games.
Kuminga’s breakout in the playoffs drew massive praise from Timberwolves coach Chris Finch.
“He is a very gifted scorer. He reminds me a little bit of Ant,” Finch said on KFAN-FM 100.3 on Monday before Game 4.
Edwards is only a year older than Kuminga, but the Timberwolves handed him the keys to their franchise after selecting him No. 1 in the 2020 NBA Draft. They extended Edwards to a five-year, $244.6 million max extension in 2023.
It wasn’t the case for Kuminga, whom the Warriors picked No. 7 overall in 2021.
The Nets can scoop him up and give him the keys to their offense the way the Timberwolves did with Edwards.
Kuminga, who started his basketball journey in the U.S. in New York and New Jersey in high school will definitely welcome the opportunity to come home.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Nets Predicted to Land Former No. 7 Pick With $100 Million Star appeared first on Heavy Sports.