The Lakers’ search for a defensive wing has put Jonathan Kuminga squarely on their radar, but Los Angeles is no longer alone in the chase.
Kuminga, who remains one of the offseason’s more intriguing names because of his age, athleticism and upside, has drawn steady interest from the Lakers for weeks. NBA reporter Evan Sidery said, “There is mutual free agent interest between Jonathan Kuminga and the Lakers, per Jovan Buha. Los Angeles continues to work behind the scenes to secure Kuminga’s commitment as their new wing addition,”
That pursuit has reportedly included a two-year, $20 million offer from the Lakers. The LA Times’ Brad Turner reported, “Jonathan Kuminga is a player the Lakers are after, according to people with knowledge of the situation who said L.A. is looking at a two-year, $20-million deal for Kuminga, the sort of athletic wing player the Lakers need to start at small forward,”
The challenge for Los Angeles is that the market around Kuminga has widened. Teams around the league still see him as a player with room to grow, and the Lakers now face more competition than they expected.
The Cleveland Cavaliers may be the biggest obstacle. They are expected to become more aggressive if they miss out on LeBron James. The Milwaukee Bucks and Clippers are also in the mix, adding to the pressure on Los Angeles as it tries to land one of its top wing targets.
Kuminga’s path to this point has already included a $46 million contract, and his free agency has emerged as one of the offseason’s more closely watched storylines. For the Lakers, the appeal is obvious: he offers the kind of athletic wing presence they need, and he could also bring value on both ends of the floor.
In Other News...
Cavs Are Suddenly Linked To A Franchise Defining Frontcourt Gamble
Anthony Davis has barely had a chance to settle into Washington, but the ripple effects of his arrival are already being felt around the league, including in Cleveland. The fit is obvious enough to spark debate: a frontcourt built around Davis would give the Cavaliers a very different kind of ceiling, and the conversation naturally turns to what kind of price tag would come with that sort of swing.
The harder part is figuring out what Cleveland would be willing to give up, because any serious pursuit would almost certainly force the Cavs to confront the value of Evan Mobley in a way that goes well beyond a simple roster tweak. There is also the broader question of whether Davis even gets to the point where this becomes real, since Washington still has to navigate his contract situation and the uncertainty around his early days with the franchise before any of the speculation turns into something more concrete. [Read more 🡒]
Former Lakers Champion Just Floated A Wild New LeBron Theory
Markieff Morris set off a fresh round of NBA chatter this week by floating a speculative chain of moves that would send James Harden to the Phoenix Suns and, in the process, land Jalen Green with the Cavaliers. It was the kind of social media theory that instantly gets attention because it ties together a few of the leagues biggest names, but it remains firmly in the realm of speculation rather than anything official.
For Cleveland, the appeal is obvious even before the details get sorted out. A Green-Donovan Mitchell backcourt would be electric on offense, though it would also come with real questions on the defensive end, and the idea only gets louder because of what Greens arrival could mean for the Cavs larger future plans. For now, though, it is just another reminder that the offseason rumor mill can turn one post into a full-blown conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Love Reunion Could Become A Real Cavaliers Offseason Debate
Kevin Loves name is starting to surface again in Cleveland, and it makes sense why. The veteran big man is an unrestricted free agent after spending last season with the Utah Jazz, and he remains one of the more familiar faces from the Cavaliers 2016 championship run. For a team looking to preserve flexibility while still adding dependable depth, a reunion would bring an obvious layer of experience and a player who already understands the organization and the expectations that come with it.
The Cavaliers are still waiting on LeBron James decision before making bigger roster moves, which keeps the rest of the offseason in a holding pattern. Loves longstanding friendship with James only adds to the intrigue, especially if Cleveland decides it wants another proven voice in the locker room and a veteran option in the frontcourt. For now, it sits as a possibility rather than a plan, but it is the kind of move that could become a real debate once the bigger domino falls. [Read more 🡒]