Bucks could take a flier on mercurial former 1st-round pick

The Milwaukee Bucks are going to look much different in the 2026-27 NBA season than they did in 2025-26. 

The team finally ended the Giannis Antetokounmpo saga, shipping the franchise legend off to the Miami Heat. In exchange, the Bucks landed a package that includes Tyler Herro, Kasaparas Jakucionis, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Kel'el Ware. 

Those are some intriguing building blocks, but the Bucks shouldn't stop there. They obviously have a big hole in the rotation now, so why not take a swing on a high upside guy with elite potential? 

Bucks should be interested in Jonathan Kuminga 

Jonathan Kuminga is a polarizing player. He's a former first-round pick who seemed to have all the potential in the world, but he never worked out in Golden State. 

The Warriors finally ended the experiment at last year's deadline, sending Kuminga to the Atlanta Hawks. Kuminga only played in 16 games for the Hawks, and his stats weren't eye-popping, but he should have suitors. 

Why would the Bucks NOT take a flier? Kuminga is a career 50% shooter from the field and a versatile wing who can guard multiple positions. 

Bleacher Report's Dan Favale recently identified the best landing spots for Kuminga, and naturally, the Bucks made the list. Favale offered the following: 

Nobody on the Bucks is so ball-dominant that they should flinch at allocating touches to Kuminga. Jaime Jaquez Jr. comes closest, and last season's Sixth Man of the Year finalist isn't someone to whom you tailor your roster.

Aside from needing to stagger Kuminga from Nate Ament and maybe Kyle Kuzma, the logistical pretzel-twisting is minimal. That's more than you can say for many of the other fits.

And with ample wiggle room beneath the tax, the Bucks can afford to use part (or all) of their $15 million mid-level exception on a stab-in-the-dark signing.

As Favale mentioned, the Bucks have the touches to go around and the money to spend. Kuminga has never been a top offensive option, so perhaps he could actually reach his potential if given a chance. 

In 2025-26, Kuminga played in 36 total games with 14 starts. The wing averaged 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 46% from the field and 33% from deep. 

Kuminga won't shoot the lights out, but he can drive and handle the ball a little, has great athleticism and is switchable. In Milwaukee. Kuminga could finally get a chance to prove he's capable of playing a large role in this league. 

More NBA news:

• Pistons urged to pull off blockbuster trade during 2026 draft
• Orlando Magic could break up young core during offseason
• Could Ja Morant end up in Chicago? 
• Blockbuster trade proposal has Nets shipping out star
• Bulls land franchise-changing big man in mock draft
• Jared McCain and Jaylin Williams saved the Thunder