After trudging through years of mediocrity, it’s time for the Chicago Bulls to take a big swing. It’s time to say goodbye to Josh Giddey and go hard after Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga.

The simple and logical offseason plan to this point has begun with re-signing Giddey, who had a breakout season in Chicago. He blew past his previous career high of 33.7 percent to knock down 37.8 percent of his 4.0 3-pointers per game. He became the ideal fit to lead head coach Billy Donovan’s new run-and-gun offense.

Giddey played at an All-NBA-caliber level after the All-Star break, averaging 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists while shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 45.7 percent from deep. He showed unexpectedly massive improvement and is still just 22 years old.

But he’s not the long-term franchise centerpiece the Bulls need. That designation should go to Kuminga.

The Bulls need to gamble on Jonathan Kuminga’s superstar potential

Kuminga had the best game of his career in Game 3 of Golden State’s Western Conference Semifinal playoff series on May 10. He scored 30 points off the bench while tallying six rebounds, three assists and two blocks on 11-of-18 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 from three.

The Warriors needed a spark with Stephen Curry sidelined, and Kuminga provided it, albeit in a loss. He was elite on both ends of the floor, defending and dunking on Anthony Edwards. He was a terror in transition.

For everything Giddey is—a savvy passer, exceptional rebounder, high-level playmaker, improving floor spacer—he doesn’t have the superstar potential Kuminga does. The G League Ignite product is an elite athlete with elite size, strength and explosiveness. His career has stalled thus far due to the lack of an outside shot, a defined role and opportunity as a featured option.

Those same things could have been said of Giddey when the Bulls acquired him last summer.

Kuminga is only four days older than Giddey. The Warriors grabbed him with the No. 7 pick in the 2021 draft, one spot after Giddey went to the Oklahoma City Thunder. But while the Aussie started 210 games during his first three seasons in the league, Kuminga only started 74. While Giddey averaged 28.9 minutes in his age 19, 20 and 21 seasons, Kuminga averaged 21.5.

The Thunder didn’t reach the postseason until Giddey’s final campaign in Oklahoma City. He had a chance to take his lumps on a rebuilding team. Kuminga’s massive Game 3, meanwhile, was his 32nd career postseason contest. He appeared in 16 playoff games as a 19-year-old on Golden State’s 2021-22 NBA Championship squad. He’s been relegated to a bit part and forced to play behind veterans on title-aspiring Warriors teams.

The Bulls could finally hand him a chance to shine as a regular starter and franchise cornerstone. Per 36 minutes, Kuminga has career averages of 20.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.7 stocks (steals plus blocks).

Analyzing Kuminga’s fit with the Bulls

Compared to Giddey, he’s a vastly superior fit alongside Coby White and Matas Buzelis. He’s the kind of dominant athlete the Bulls haven’t had since perhaps prime Derrick Rose.

Kuminga’s defensive versatility would fill a massive hole in Chicago’s roster. He and the 6-foot-10 Buzelis would form an intimidating pair of forwards that would immediately level up a team that allowed the third-most points per game in the NBA last season.

Like Giddey and the Bulls, Kuminga and the Warriors couldn’t reach an agreement on a contract extension last summer, so he’ll enter restricted free agency this offseason. Chicago could pay Giddey somewhere in the neighborhood of $20-30 million a year over the next five seasons and run it back with a team that finished last year 15-5.

Or, the franchise could hand out a similar long-term contract to Kuminga, a player who’s the same age but has a much higher upside. What other avenue will the Bulls have to land a possible star? Giddey can’t tear apart a defense like the Timberwolves’ the same way Kuminga just did. He can’t make Edwards work to get a bucket the way Kuminga just did.

And if it costs more to bring Kuminga to Chicago, then so be it. The Bulls will have the most available cap space next summer. White can slide over to replace Giddey; he’s a good ball handler and solid passer. Using him as a score-first lead guard wouldn’t be any different than how the New York Knicks use Jalen Brunson or the Denver Nuggets use Jamal Murray.

With Kuminga on board, the Bulls could run out a starting five of White, Ayo Dosunmu, Kuminga, Buzelis and Nikola Vucevic. That would give Donovan three above-average defenders and a 20-plus point-per-game scorer in White (and another, potentially, in Kuminga).

Armed with a lottery pick and several expiring contracts, Chicago can upgrade Vucevic’s spot and enter 2025-26 with a revamped roster that would be significantly more athletic and stronger defensively while maintaining the ability to play at one of the league’s fastest paces.

The idea of letting Giddey walk and replacing him with Kuminga was always there. It just took an epic playoff performance to make it the obvious right call.