Jonathan Kuminga may be on the verge of becoming the kind of problem the Warriors can’t quite shake.
Golden State looks smart for moving him before the deadline, even if the better move would’ve been to do it earlier. Kuminga, now 23, is still available as an unrestricted free agent, and the list of teams checking in on him keeps growing. The Lakers appear to be the most aggressive of the bunch.
As ESPN’s Anthony Slater said on Thursday, "Rob Pelinka keeps calling about Jonathan Kuminga."
That level of persistence tells you Los Angeles is serious. The Lakers already added Matisse Thybulle last week and currently have 16 players on guaranteed deals, but they’re still working the phones.
If Kuminga lands there, it would likely have to come through a sign-and-trade. One possible path would involve sending Jarred Vanderbilt to the Hawks, though HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported on Wednesday that Atlanta has been "resistant" to taking on his contract.
Even with that complication, the Lakers clearly aren’t backing off. Pelinka keeps pushing, and the team is pitching Kuminga on a starting wing job. That matters, especially with Los Angeles reshaping its roster after LeBron James told the organization he wouldn’t return for his 24th season.
The money, though, is where things get tricky. Jovan Buha reported earlier this week that Kuminga is believed to be seeking a deal averaging $20 million per year, which is well above the two-year, $20 million offer LA reportedly put on the table.
That gap could end up steering him toward the Lakers anyway. If he doesn’t get the number he wants, a team with title hopes and a clear role might be the next-best option.
And if he can prove he belongs in winning basketball, his value could climb fast. There may not be a better place to do that than next to Luka Dončić in purple and gold.
For the Warriors, that’s the part that should sting most. If Kuminga lands in Los Angeles and finds his footing, Golden State won’t be able to escape the sight of him thriving for a rival. If that happens, the player they drafted and moved on from could end up getting the last laugh.
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Post had already shown he could give the Warriors useful minutes as a backup big and even step into the starting group when injuries thinned the rotation. With analysts now pointing to both his availability and the possibility of future roster flexibility, the decision to let him walk may end up feeling more costly than it did in the moment. [Read more 🡒]