The Lakers have already spent much of early July reshaping the roster, but they may not be finished making noise.
Los Angeles has added Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Quentin Grimes around a Luka Doncic-led core, a flurry of moves that followed the departures of LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart, Deandre Ayton, and Jaxson Hayes. That kind of turnover makes another swing feel very much on brand for this offseason.
Now the name tied to the Lakers is Jonathan Kuminga.
According to The Stein Line’s Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, Los Angeles is interested in signing the former Golden State Warriors forward and NBA champion. Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley went a step further Monday, suggesting the Lakers could outbid the Cleveland Cavaliers, one of the few teams linked to Kuminga, for his services.
Buckley pointed to the appeal of Kuminga’s physical profile and defensive upside, while also noting that the production has not yet fully matched the tools.
“He should, at least in theory, be an all-purpose stopper on the defensive end with physical tools of this quality,” Buckley wrote Monday. “To this point, though, that theoretical impact hasn't translated to the hardwood.”
“It definitely still could, though. He might feel like a known commodity because he has been visible for so long-the Golden State Warriors drafted him seventh overall in 2021-but he might have multiple leap years still in front of him. He has never been entrusted with a full-time starting role, or even anything close to that.”
“There is enough hope, at least, for the Lakers to take the plunge, if for no other reason than the relative dearth of alternatives. While the Lakers fortified their defensive interior with the Walker Kessler sign-and-trade, their wing rotation could use a tooled-up stopper.
Quentin Grimes is a capable point-of-attack defender, but his size (6-foot-4, 210 lbs) limits his versatility. Collin Sexton is even smaller and more offensive-minded.”
Kuminga’s fit is easy to understand. At 6-foot-7, he brings the kind of length and athletic burst that can change the shape of a wing rotation.
Offensively, he thrives when he can attack downhill, get into the paint, and finish above the rim. Defensively, he has shown flashes of a player who can jump passing lanes and turn those plays into transition chances.
Last season, Kuminga averaged 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists with the Warriors and Atlanta Hawks.
He didn’t quite build on the breakout 2023-24 season that had raised expectations, when he posted 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. Even so, the Lakers appear willing to bet on the upside.
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