With the 2025 NBA Playoffs already featuring a slew of contests that will end up being classics, even teams booted out of the postseason like the Philadelphia 76ers cannot afford to simply let the action fly past them. The remaining teams all tout players who could be plenty attractive for prospective buyers, and they are definitely one of them.
As said multiple times before, it will be imperative for the 76ers to exhibit more resourcefulness this time around. Given their financial constraints, unlike last year, the front office will be forced to tap into less sterling commodities, at least name-wise, to fill the gaps in the roster and hopefully lead the squad back to the general consciousness next season.
Yet given the direness of their current situation, Philly cannot afford to be shortsighted. The front office had already made two, debilitating moves that will hamper their roster-building prowess in the near future, and it’s now up to them to rectify those mistakes by acing the offseason, both through the draft and in free agency, while also keeping the future in mind.
Now, thanks to a sudden development, the 76ers got a good glimpse at a possible target for the future.
76ers get a good glimpse as Steve Kerr unleashes Jonathan Kuminga
The Warriors pulled off an impressive dub in Game 1 on the road with Steph Curry exiting the game early with a hamstring issue, but as expected, the Timberwolves dismantled them in Game 2, sending the series into a deadlock heading into San Francisco.
While Golden State appears to be in a doomsday situation with their best player sidelined, head coach Steve Kerr made a sudden move in Game 2 that could help them fill some of the scoring void left by Curry, unleashing Jonathan Kuminga after basically booting him out of their playoff rotation.
In 26 minutes of gameplay, he finished the night with 18 points, draining eight of his 11 shots while also racking up five boards.
So, how does this affect the 76ers? Well, they were previously rumored to be one of the teams to have registered some degree of interest in striking a deal with the Warriors for Kuminga early in the season.
Philadelphia did not press harder on their reported pursuit of the 22-year-old, but given how shaky things have been between his camp and the Warriors, an exit could now be impending.
Kuminga, who is still well ahead of his prime, has the tools to become a lethal scorer for a team that fits his skill set. The 76ers, led by dynamic guards in Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain, could just have the ideal complements to help unlock his talent.
For now, nothing of value has been reported on that front just yet, but if Jonathan Kuminga continues to flash his value, even as a fallback option, the Philadelphia 76ers should already have him written on their offseason whiteboard.