Cavs 2021 NBA Draft: 3 ways Jonathan Kuminga could help CLE

The #3 way Kuminga could help the Cavs: His transition capabilities

Jonathan Kuminga is an explosive athlete. His size, strength, and speed make him tough to stop anywhere on the court. And as pointed out by NBA.com, Kuminga “was also one of the most productive players on the Nike EYBL circuit last spring and summer, averaging 22.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 3.3 apg in 19 games with the NY Rens.”

But one area where Kuminga will likely thrive early in his pro career, in particular, is in transition opportunities. Kuminga has the ability to quickly run the floor and finish at the rim with strength, and that’s another selling point for him in the 2021 NBA Draft, perhaps for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Kuminga has the ability to make plays in the open court in both on and off-ball situations, too. He has enough ball-handling abilities to be able to dribble up the court himself, and create from varying speeds, but Kuminga will almost definitely be a frightening lob threat in transition situations as well.

Kuminga’s ability to thrive in transition would help the Cavaliers in big ways. With players like Sexton, Garland, Porter Jr., Nance Jr. and/or Okoro, all of whom use their athleticism or quickness to get up the court fast, Kuminga would likely fit with Cleveland seamlessly.

The 2021 NBA Draft is still a long way away. While it would seem that Cade Cunningham would be the #1 pick for now, we’ll ultimately still see what plays out, or where each team will be making their selections.

But, if a scenario arises in which the Cleveland Cavaliers have a change to select Jonathan Kuminga, Altman will have to seriously consider it.