The Lakers are running out of time to solve a glaring hole at power forward, and Jonathan Kuminga has emerged as the name to watch as free agency winds down.
Los Angeles has pushed hard for the former Warriors forward, and the latest reporting suggests the momentum is real. NBA reporter Evan Sidery said, “Significant momentum is now building towards Jonathan Kuminga soon finalizing a contract with the Lakers.
With the Cavaliers choosing Peyton Watson instead, Kuminga’s options are now limited to Los Angeles or the Timberwolves. Kuminga’s preferred landing spot is the Lakers,”
That Cleveland move matters because it effectively thinned the field. Once the Cavaliers took Peyton Watson, the path toward Kuminga and the Lakers became much cleaner.
The New York Post’s Valentina Martinez also pointed to Los Angeles as the likely destination, writing, “Jonathan Kuminga landing with the Los Angeles Lakers seems inevitable at this point. On Tuesday, it appeared Kuminga had three suitors remaining in his free-agent sweepstakes: the Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers and the Lakers,"
Even so, the Lakers are not the only team still sniffing around. The Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers are all trying to work out a deal for the 23-year-old forward.
NBA writer Jake Weinbach put it this way: “The Lakers, Bucks, Timberwolves, and Blazers should be considered potential landing spots for Jonathan Kuminga in the late stage of free agency. The Cavaliers were heavily linked to Kuminga prior to acquiring Peyton Watson, but the 23-year-old forward will now end up elsewhere,”
For Los Angeles, the biggest edge is simple: money. Of the teams still in the mix, the Lakers can offer Kuminga the most. The catch is that they do not have the same level of tradeable talent or draft capital that some of the other teams can put on the table for Atlanta.
Kuminga was on a $46 million contract last season, but his next deal may come in well below what he first expected. After nearly two months of waiting for a resolution and working through a messy free-agency process, he may have damaged his market enough to end up settling for less than he wanted.
In Other News...
Cavs Are Closing In On A Move That Changes Daily Life
The Cavaliers are getting ready for a change that goes well beyond a new address. During the NBA All-Star break in February, the team plans to move into the Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center downtown, a facility that should give players and staff a far different day-to-day experience than the one theyve had in Independence.
The new building is expected to be significantly larger than the current practice site and come with multiple amenities designed around the needs of a modern NBA operation. Once the Cavs relocate, the Independence facility will take on a new role of its own, serving as the training home for the Cleveland Sirens, the WNBA expansion team set to begin play in 2028. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Latest Roster Upgrade Came From A Twist Fans Didnt Expect
The Cavaliers latest roster shake-up took shape through a chain of events that had less to do with Cleveland than with the wider league market, and it gave the front office a little more room to operate than expected. In the process, the team moved on from Dennis Schroder and brought in Peyton Watson in a sign-and-trade with Denver, while Max Strus was sent to the Clippers as part of the same broader shuffle.
What made the opening possible was James Harden declining his player option and then signing a new deal later than anticipated, which created the kind of cap flexibility that can change a summer plan in a hurry. Harden has also reportedly been involved in recruiting Watson and has been active in team workouts, a detail that adds an unusual layer to a move Cleveland fans probably did not see coming when the offseason started. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Suddenly Have A Real Path To The Easts Top Seed
The Cavaliers finished their offseason by adding two more pieces in James Harden and Peyton Watson, with Watson agreeing to a four-year deal, and it gives the roster a noticeably different look heading into the new season. Cleveland has been leaning into depth and athleticism around the core, with names like Mario Hezonja also part of the mix, and the front office seems to have built a group that can withstand the grind of the East better than it could a year ago.
What makes the conversation more interesting is how much of this comes down to fit as much as talent. The Cavaliers are not just collecting names, they are trying to stitch together a group that can settle in quickly, build chemistry and avoid the kind of uneven stretches that can cost a team in the standings. If the pieces come together the way Cleveland believes they can, the path to finishing atop the Eastern Conference suddenly looks more real than it did when the summer began. [Read more 🡒]