[Vardon] Cavaliers could pivot to Jonathan Kuminga after missing out on LeBron James
Cavs officials maintained contact with Kuminga and his Cleveland-based agent, Aaron Turner, throughout James’ free agency, and there is mutual interest, multiple league sources told The Athletic. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal team and player deliberations.
As most NBA fans know, salary cap rules are confusing. Basically, Cleveland could comfortably offer Kuminga roughly \(6 million this season — the same amount the Cavs would have likely given James. Theoretically, the Cavs could offer Kuminga \)15 million under an exception to the salary cap, but doing so would greatly reduce the amount they could pay unsigned veteran star James Harden.
Kuminga, though, is more interested in a sign-and-trade deal involving Atlanta because he could earn more money that way. Kuminga is seeking a salary much closer to what he would have earned had the Hawks picked up his option, in the neighborhood of \(20 million to \)23 million. The two teams most often linked to Kuminga — the Cavs and Los Angeles Lakers — would both need to execute a sign-and-trade to pay him anywhere near that figure. Kuminga could also return to the Hawks on a short contract, and other teams like the LA Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks have been mentioned as potential destinations.