The Utah Jazz and Jonathan Kuminga have crossed paths in trade rumors before. Golden State was willing to offer him in trade talks for Lauri Markkanen (which Utah turned down). Because he and the Warriors are on the outs, Kuminga rumors have been flying every which way, and how many times have the Jazz been mentioned in them? None. Because of this, it's become clear that the Jazz don't want him.
There's been plenty of articles talking about both Kuminga's falling out with the Warriors and the teams that have interest in him. Not once are the Jazz mentioned.
There is a case to be made that they should at least take a flyer on him. Kuminga can basically be had for free right now. The Warriors haven't even been playing him, even as they've struggled at times to keep their heads above water. He has a team option for next year, which makes him a flight risk and means he can be had for little. The fact that he's not playing gives him zero trade value for Golden State.
There's an appeal to Kuminga because he has shown his talent, but has never quite figured out how to fit next to Stephen Curry nor under Steve Kerr's tutelage, which is precisely why he and the Warriors are on the verge of a divorce. He's a buy-low guy who is both talented and young, but the Jazz have made it clear they don't want to make a trade for someone like him just because they can.
They've done that before *cough* Talen Horton-Tucker *cough* and it backfired pretty badly. Kuminga has the potential to better than THT was, and he has a higher ceiling, but Utah has taken a chance like that when it doesn't cost them anything, and it didn't help at all.
But why would the Jazz not target Kuminga when they don't have much to lose regardless?
Because Kuminga would get in Ace Bailey's way
For the record, the Jazz have a few wings on the roster with some promise. Bailey is the biggest name in the group, but there are others like Brice Sensabaugh, Taylor Hendricks, and Cody Williams. Kuminga would create a logjam, and could create issues with their development.
Many have questioned why the Jazz have started Svi Mykhailiuk, and it's become pretty clear that he is a bar to clear for their young players. Kuminga would be a higher bar, but he could also be a signal to some of their young wings that they don't believe in them. That's sending the wrong message to the talented and high-character player that is Bailey.
The Jazz have been careful with Bailey, but they cannot afford to stunt his growth. Kuminga's skills to some degree overlap with Bailey, and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, it can at times be problematic. For the record, Kuminga is good enough to deserve a fresh start, but that shouldn't be in Utah.
