Jonathan Kuminga is on the move again, and one of the Warriors’ biggest division rivals is now being linked to him.
After a turbulent 4.5-year run with Golden State and a half-season with the Hawks, Kuminga is an unrestricted free agent for the first time. The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly have interest, with The Athletic’s Dan Woike saying Los Angeles is targeting him because it “is still seeking a young wing to help its perimeter defense.”
If that comes together, the Warriors would be staring at their 2021 first-round pick four times a season.
Los Angeles already has two star guards in Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, plus a defensive anchor in the middle in Walker Kessler, but the wing group is still thin. Quentin Grimes would likely open at one wing spot, while the other could go to Sandro Mamukelashvili.
Both players bring more shooting than Kuminga, but neither offers his ability to explode into the paint as a cutter or roller.
Kuminga’s stock has been debated for a while. When the Warriors traded Kuminga and Buddy Hield for Kristaps Porzingis, some expected Kuminga to break out quickly and turn that deal into a headache for Golden State. That never really happened, and the Hawks declining his $24.3 million team option sent another clear signal about how they viewed his future.
Even so, he’s going to get paid. Kuminga is only 23, which keeps the door open on development, and another team will almost certainly give him a solid deal.
The bigger question is how much more there is to unlock. He’d need a major jump in ball-handling and three-point shooting to take a real step. More likely, he settles into that in-between zone as a fringe starter who can defend wings and still get you 20-plus points by attacking the rim on his best nights.
That kind of player has value. It’s also a skill set that overlaps with what the Warriors already get from Porzingis. The 7-foot-2 Latvian center scores better, Kuminga defends better, and Porzingis comes with his own injury and illness concerns, while Kuminga has dealt with some injuries but should be more available going forward.
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