The Lakers still have work to do before opening night, and the biggest issue is simple: they’re carrying one player too many. That leaves Los Angeles sorting through a roster squeeze while trying to find the right answer at starting power forward.
For a while, the target seemed to be Jonathan Kuminga. The Lakers chased him for months and appeared close enough to make it feel real, only to watch him land with the Minnesota Timberwolves instead.
“Jonathan Kuminga has agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, plus a player option, agent Aaron Turner tells ESPN. Kuminga will be a starter alongside Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert on the West contender,” ESPN’s Shams Charania wrote.
That leaves Rob Pelinka and the Lakers still staring at a roster decision. Pelinka said a trade is still a possibility before the season gets underway.
“The spirit of competition has been great," Pelinka said. "And to some extent, going from 16 guys to 15 guys, we have until opening night for the competition to sort of play out and see who the best 15 players are. Behind that evaluation of who's emerging in camp, there's also consolidation trades that can still be looked at, trading two guys out, bringing one in,” Pelinka said.
One name floated as a fit is Derrick Jones Jr. Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus suggested the Lakers should go after the Los Angeles Clippers wing, who is in the final year of his deal at $10.5 million.
“Jones is in the final year of his deal at $10.5 million. He was a productive teammate of Dončić in Dallas during the Mavericks ' NBA Finals run.
He's athletic, defends, and has a strong enough three-ball to keep teams honest. The Lakers could build a trade around players like Knecht, LaRavia, and Hardy, but the Clippers would prioritize draft considerations,” Pincus wrote.
Jones brings exactly the kind of profile the Lakers have been searching for: a 6-foot-6 wing, a strong defender, and a player who already showed he can thrive in a system with Luka Doncic a couple of seasons ago. For Los Angeles, he would help address the roster crunch and give them a piece they could actually use on the floor.
The Clippers may not be eager to move him, but the idea makes sense for the Lakers if they want to clean up the roster and add a player who fits.
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