Jonathan Kuminga’s next stop remains one of the summer’s more unsettled storylines, and the Lakers are still being mentioned as a possible landing spot.
The former Golden State Warriors champion forward is expected to be in the league in 2026-27, but where he plays his sixth NBA season is still up in the air in late July. HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto raised the possibility of Los Angeles getting involved in a three-team sign-and-trade for the former lottery pick.
“The Lakers and (Atlanta) Hawks had discussions on a Kuminga sign-and-trade that would’ve involved Jarred Vanderbilt and a Los Angeles 2032 first-round pick swap, as the California Post’s Khobi Price first reported,” Scotto wrote Tuesday.
“However, the Hawks have been resistant to taking on Vanderbilt’s $13.29 million salary for the 2027-28 season, which is a player option.”
“Could a combination of Dalton Knecht and Jaden Hardy, who both have team options for the 2027-28 season, work better in a three-team trade construct involving Kuminga landing with the Lakers and the Hawks getting a traded player exception along with draft pick compensation?”
That kind of third-team setup may be the cleanest path if the Lakers and Hawks can’t get a Kuminga-centered deal over the finish line on their own.
From the Lakers’ side, the idea is straightforward: moving Knecht for Kuminga would be the kind of swing that fits this stage of the offseason, especially with Kuminga’s upside and the chance to pair him with Luka Doncic in Los Angeles. The source also notes that Knecht is moving backward.
Kuminga, 23, averaged 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game with the Warriors and Hawks last season while shooting 46.3% from the field and 33.3% from 3-point range.
For now, it’s still just a possibility. But the Lakers remain in the conversation, and the idea of turning a speculative framework into an actual offseason deal is still on the table.
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