The Brooklyn Nets are heading into an important offseason for the franchise as they have the chance to make some significant moves in the free-agency market this summer. Brooklyn is projected to have by far the most cap space in the NBA this summer and that could lead to them getting an impactful player or two, including one that has been on their radar for some time now.
Per NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, the Nets “long loomed as a potential suitor” for Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga and it seems like this offseason could be the time that Brooklyn is able to acquire him. Kuminga will be a restricted free-agent this summer, meaning that he isn’t completely free on the market, but there is a chance that the Nets could sign him if the Warriors decline to make the offer.
Per Spotrac, Brooklyn is projected to have $91.8 million in practical cap space in part because they have 10 players who will be free-agents this summer. With the next team being the Detroit Pistons with just $24.6 million in practical cap space, it seems like the Nets will be virtually the only players in free-agency and if someone like Kuminga is looking to get paid, Brooklyn will most likely be the place to do so.
What may cause some pause for those wondering if the Nets should be signing Kuminga to a lucrative deal is the fact that he and the Warriors were unable to come to terms on an extension prior to the deadline in October. Per NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole in October, the reason that the extension talks never went anywhere is because Kuminga wanted at least $30 million per year, a number that the Warriors balked at.
Kuminga, 22, is coming off a 2024-25 regular season in which he averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 45.4% from the field and 30.5% from three-point land. While those numbers are solid, they represent a slight decline in his play as he averaged 16.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game last season on better shooting percentages across the board.