The Lakers’ search for a starting forward may already be shifting into Plan B.
Jonathan Kuminga has been the name at the center of their offseason push, but that path has run into a major snag. According to NBA insider Evan Sidery, Los Angeles has also checked in with the Dallas Mavericks about P.J. Washington as an alternative if the Kuminga pursuit falls apart.
The issue with Kuminga is tied to the Atlanta Hawks, who recently landed Lu Dort from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a blockbuster three-team trade. That move left Atlanta with 16 guaranteed contracts and shut down the sign-and-trade route the Lakers were hoping to use.
The original framework reportedly would have sent Jarred Vanderbilt and the 2032 first-round pick swap to the Hawks in exchange for Kuminga. With the Hawks’ roster now full, that option is off the table.
That’s why Washington has moved into the conversation.
Sidery reported that the Lakers reached out to Dallas about Washington, and he also laid out a possible deal: Washington to Los Angeles, with Bronny James, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, and the 2032 first-round pick swap going to the Mavericks.
It would be a notable trade partner for the Lakers, given what happened in 2025 when Dallas sent Luka Doncic to Los Angeles in one of the most shocking deals the league has ever seen. That history raises obvious questions about whether Mavericks ownership would want to make another major move with the Lakers this soon.
Still, Washington checks a lot of boxes for Los Angeles.
At 6-foot-7, he gives a team real flexibility. He can defend multiple positions, space the floor, and handle either forward spot.
With LeBron James and Rui Hachimura gone, that kind of versatility would fill a clear need. His familiarity with Luka Doncic is another plus, since the two were teammates in Dallas before Luka was traded.
There’s also a practical reason Washington is in the mix: the Lakers have not hidden their concerns about his contract. The four-year, $88.7 million deal begins next season, with Washington set to make $19.8 million in 2026-27, $21.3 million in 2027-28, $22.9 million in 2028-29, and $24.5 million in 2029-30. Marc Stein previously reported that Los Angeles views that contract as somewhat of an albatross, which makes Kuminga the cleaner target.
Kuminga, at 23, brings the upside and athleticism the Lakers want, even if his offensive game still needs work. The team reportedly pitched him on stepping in as an immediate starter, a clear sign of how strongly they value him.
If that route disappears because a sign-and-trade has to be completed, the Lakers will need to move fast. Washington has emerged as one of the more realistic fallback options, while Bruce Brown and Matisse Thybulle have also been mentioned.
For now, the Lakers are still trying to see if another team can take on Jarred Vanderbilt’s contract and reopen the Kuminga talks. If that doesn’t happen, Washington could become the next serious target as Los Angeles looks to round out its starting group alongside Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and newly acquired Walker Kessler heading into the 2026-27 season.
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Los Angeles sent a heavy package of future draft assets to Utah for Kessler, and part of the internal logic was simple: the Lakers felt more comfortable paying that kind of cost because of what they did not have to surrender in the Doni trade. It is another reminder that Dallas did not just move on from a franchise star in February, it also helped shape the way other teams are now spending, and Kessler may end up as one more player whose value is viewed through the lens of what Doni can unlock around him. [Read more 🡒]