At the moment, the wing at the top of the LA Clippers’ radar is Peyton Watson. Rightfully so, he is expected to break out again next season, with the expectation that he’ll become an All-Star in the future. However, another young forward has joined the conversation: Jonathan Kuminga. According to Michael Scotto of ‘HoopsHype’, the Clippers are interested in a sign-and-trade scenario where they land Kuminga, and in all honesty, due to fit, he might be a better option than Watson.
How so? Well, Kuminga’s athleticism, which is some of the best in the league, would work perfectly alongside two high-end playmakers in Darius Garland and Keaton Wagler. In the same breath, he can also score, defend, and stretch the floor, just like Watson.
And, because LA might be able to save a couple of million on Kuminga, going all in and securing him long-term might be a better idea.
Completely pivoting to Jonathan Kuminga is what the Clippers should do
The news on the LA Clippers’ interest in Jonathan Kuminga is fresh. On the contrary, the Clippers’ front office has been in on Peyton Watson for many weeks, with reports coming from various credible sources.
However, the Clippers should completely switch gears and chase Kuminga with all of their might this summer before another contender swoops him up.
Last season, particularly for the Atlanta Hawks, Kuminga played 16 games and averaged 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists, shooting 47.6% from the field in just 22.1 minutes off the bench.
That’s good stuff for a 23-year-old, and it gets better; in the postseason, against the eventual champions, Kuminga’s minutes were bumped up to 26.0, and he responded with more scoring, 13.7 points, and a higher efficiency, 48.3% from the field.
Overall, Kuminga brings a level of scoring that would be extremely useful while not demanding a ton of shots. These are some of the added benefits with him already being one of the best complements on the market to the Clippers’ backcourt.
And, with further development from LA’s staff and a bit of learning under the wing of Brandon Ingram (assuming the trade goes through), there is no telling how high his ceiling is in the NBA.
So, although Watson has been the center of the Clippers’ attention for quite some time, it’s time for the front office to take their eyes off him and place them on Kumninga, who they’re considering sign-and-trade possibilities for.
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