Every offseason brings tempting names, players with potential, athleticism, and just enough intrigue to make teams second-guess their direction. Jonathan Kuminga is one of those names. And for the Brooklyn Nets, he’s exactly the kind of move that looks exciting… but causes more problems than it solves.
Kuminga is only 22 years old. He’s long, explosive, and built to score. But the question isn’t whether he can play, it’s whether his game would actually fit in Brooklyn. The Nets are already navigating a complicated rebuild. Signing Kuminga would only add to the noise.
The biggest red flag?
He’s not coming in to support a system. He wants to be a star. According to league reports, Kuminga still sees himself as a primary option, someone who wants to be featured, not just another name on the paper. That kind of mindset just doesn’t align with where Brooklyn is heading.
The Nets already have Cam Thomas, a natural scorer who thrives in isolation but isn’t a high-level facilitator. Pairing him with Kuminga who is another ball-dominant player with limited playmaking will open the door to creating an immediate clash. Neither spaces the floor effectively. Neither is known for defensive consistency or off-ball movement. And neither makes teammates better just by being on the court.
You can’t build a functional offense around two players who need the ball to succeed but don’t elevate anyone else when they don’t have it. It’s a redundancy that limits growth, not just for them, but for everyone around them.
Let’s take a look at how Golden State used Kuminga:
Despite his obvious upside, the Warriors didn’t extend him. When the games mattered most, he was often on the bench, especially after the team added Jimmy Butler. Why? Because Steve Kerr’s system requires quick decision-making, movement, and adaptability. Kuminga hasn’t shown consistent feel for that kind of structure. In 47 games last season, he averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists, solid, but not enough to justify reshaping a team’s identity.
Brooklyn shouldn’t be a testing ground for another player chasing stardom. The focus needs to be on development, cohesion, and long-term flexibility. Signing Kuminga could stunt the progress of some of the young players already on the squad, and any other player in the future they decide to draft or sign. They need players who can actually complement Cam Thomas rather than mirror him.
The Nets are in a fragile spot. They need clarity, not chaos. Kuminga is talented, but he’s not the right piece, not for a team trying to find balance and build something sustainable.