NBA free agency has mostly run its course, save for an Al Horford here or an Amir Coffey there. However, three polarizing youngsters are still toiling through restricted free agency over two weeks past when they became eligible to extend with their current teams.
The Chicago Bulls’ Josh Giddey, the Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga, and the Brooklyn Nets’ Cam Thomas are all stuck in restricted free agency. The Wizards have made a couple of smart trades so far this offseason, but they have been incredibly quiet in the free agency market; should they swoop in and try to grab one of these three guys?
Josh Giddey was the no. 6 overall selection to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2021 NBA Draft, and the jury is still out on his career projections.
The Australian product is undeniably talented and stuffs the stat sheet, but whether or not he can consistently contribute to winning basketball is still a question. That he was one-for-one swapped for Alex Caruso, a move that immediately led to a title in OKC, does not help Giddey’s case.
Giddey is talented and is quite a fun watch with his crafty playmaking ability, but he has a shaky outside shot and is a negative defender. He is also reportedly seeking a contract with an average annual value around $30 million, so unless negotiations go way south with the Bulls, the Wizards would be wise not to get involved. Giddey would be a good pickup for around $20 million per season.
Jonathan Kuminga was drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the pick after Giddey, and he, too, has been incredibly inconsistent. He has a tendency to space out on the court or get tunnel vision, leading to poor decision making.
The Warriors have made clear they are not fans of Kuminga, yet they do not want to lose the asset for nothing. This could push the price down and allow the Wizards to get in on the Kuminga business, potentially as a sign-and-trade.
Kuminga is a freak athlete with some serious flaws as a player, but he just averaged 21 points per game in the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Given the likely suppressed price, the Wizards should try to get involved in the Kuminga business.
One player the Wizards should not pursue is Cam Thomas. Thomas is a talented scorer, but he does not bring anything else to the table. He is not a playmaker nor a defender to any degree whatsoever.
There’s only one basketball on the court at all times, and the Wizards should prioritize getting shots to guys like Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington. They also recently acquired an equally unwilling passer in Cam Whitmore.
These three guys remain unsigned for a reason. Even though they are all fairly likely to re-sign with their respective organization, the Wizards should at least throw some cash at Jonathan Kuminga and see if they can lure him out of the Bay.