Jarred Vanderbilt could give the Bucks an edge in Jonathan Kuminga chase

Behind the Buck Pass · Jul 22, 2026 19:30 · 2 min read

Jarred Vanderbilt could give the Bucks an edge in Jonathan Kuminga chase — Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt (2) reacts after a possession against the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter at the Chase Center on April 9, 2026. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Milwaukee Bucks are chasing Jonathan Kuminga and have an edge over the Los Angeles Lakers due to Jarred Vanderbilt's contract.

The Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers are two teams chasing free agent Jonathan Kuminga, but the latter is currently stuck in the mud. Per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, the Atlanta Hawks have been unwilling to take on Jarred Vanderbilt's contract, which is a player option worth $13.29 million for the 2027-28 season, in a sign-and-trade. That could give the Bucks an edge in the race.

Bucks have assets Hawks could value more

With his hefty contract and injury history, the Lakers would certainly love to move off of Vanderbilt for an upgrade if it's on the table. Kuminga would be a feasible option, but it appears the Hawks have little interest in adding LA's defensive specialist. That leaves the door open for other suitors to pounce, and the Bucks are among those lurking.

Milwaukee's interest in Kuminga has been swirling for weeks, but no chatter about what they could send to the Hawks has surfaced. They have assets that would likely be of more interest to Atlanta than Vanderbilt, including possibly AJ Green or Kevin Porter Jr. Both are productive players on very team-friendly deals that should be appealing to other teams.

Dangling desirable players should lower the need for draft capital in any deal. The New York Post's Khobi Price reported that the Lakers had offered Vanderbilt and a 2032 pick swap to the Hawks in a sign-and-trade. If that's the type of offer that is dangling, the Bucks shouldn't have to attach a single pick to a transaction.

Kuminga should remain Bucks' Plan B

While Kuminga would be a nice addition to give Milwaukee another body at small forward, he should not be their main priority. Peyton Watson is a fellow forward still treading the free agent waters as the NBA is on hold due to LeBron James' lingering decision. Given that he is the better player, the Bucks should be pushing hard for Watson, another player they have indeed been linked to.

If Watson lands elsewhere, which is very plausible due to a handful of teams chasing him, Kuminga would be a nice backup plan. Though his ceiling is not as high, Kuminga is still a potential-filled name who would fit in snugly with Milwaukee's new youth-focused timeline. They should be keeping tabs on both players as the summer moves forward.

It feels likely that the Milwaukee Bucks will add a forward before the offseason ends; there is just no telling who it will be.

Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.