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As the Chicago Bulls have been in rumors for Jonathan Kuminga, there has been speculation on what a possible sign-and-trade would look like involving the Golden State Warriors. While the Bulls have been active with trades and free agency, a pursuit of Kuminga would be significant, but a team insider has temporarily shot down the talks going on.
The word “temporarily” is used because K.C. Johnson of CHSN says that he has “not heard any traction” on a potential deal that sends Kuminga to Chicago, though he mentions that he is not saying that “it won't happen.” However, he has not heard any talks surrounding that rumor regarding the team's connection to the 22-year-old.
“One other thing I want to mention in the trade market, which will dovetail quickly into our next topic, free agency,” Johnson said. “The Jonathan Kuminga rumors will not go away. I'm here to tell you that I have not heard any traction on a sign-and-trade deal to the Bulls. That's not to say it won't happen. I'm just saying that I have not heard it.”
.@KCJHoop on the Jonathan Kuminga rumors ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/FyMZCFZmrB
— Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) July 1, 2025
The CBA greatly impacts the Bulls going after Jonathan Kuminga
While there have been trade rumors around Bulls star Coby White, Johnson does hypothetically mention him in connection with a deal for Kuminga. Johnson would speak more about the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for the NBA and how a sign-and-trade for Kuminga would impact the team, and how Nikola Vucevic and White deal with it.
“I want to bore you with a little CBA minutia here,” Johnson said. “There's a thing called base year compensation. Sounds very boring, because it is what it means, if Jonathan Kuminga signs a large deal in a sign-and-trade with the Golden State Warriors, let's just say 25 million for a starting salary.”
“He counts for $25 million going out to the team that he's being traded to, and the Warriors can only take half that salary back in a trade, that would be 12.5 million, if my math is correct,” Johnson continued. “So there goes the Vucevic contract does not fit in a base year compensation trade with Jonathan Kuminga. Coby White could fit, but I would be surprised that the Bulls trade Coby white for Jonathan Kuminga. So again, we'll see where this goes. But that's where things stand now.”
At any rate, Chicago is looking to improve after finishing 39-43 record as they were eliminated from playoff contention by losing to the Miami Heat in the play-in tournament.
