The Lakers have spent the summer hunting for a starting power forward, and Jonathan Kuminga has been near the center of that search from the start.
Los Angeles has already turned over three of its five starters from last season, leaving a clear opening as Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic head into a new-look era in L.A. That’s part of why Kuminga has stayed on the Lakers’ radar for so long. The interest has been real on both sides.
“There is mutual free agent interest between Jonathan Kuminga and the Lakers, per Jovan Buha. Los Angeles continues to work behind the scenes to secure Kuminga’s commitment as their new wing addition,” NBA reporter Evan Sidery wrote.
Still, getting to a deal has not been simple. Kuminga and his camp are looking for a contract the Lakers have not been willing to meet, and that has left the talks stuck in place for now.
“The Athletic has reported on the Lakers' interest in free agent Jonathan Kuminga since late June, but it appears that momentum has stalled with the sides far apart on terms and L.A. not overly motivated to push significant draft capital into sign-and-trade scenarios," The Athletic's Dan Woike wrote.
Even with that impasse, the Lakers remain one of the teams most closely tied to the former Warriors forward. The Cleveland Cavaliers are also believed to be in the mix, with the two teams viewed as the leading contenders.
“The Lakers and Cavaliers still seem like the most likely landing spots for Kuminga, likely by way of sign-and-trade. The Wolves could be a darkhorse if he wants to take a pay cut, as I don't believe Minnesota will want to acquire him via sign-and-trade, and they are the closest of these teams to getting to the NBA Finals,” SI’s Jackson Caudell wrote.
That fits the Lakers’ situation neatly. They need a starter at power forward, and Kuminga gives them a name they’ve been high on all summer. He also comes with a reputation for being tough to handle in contract negotiations, which helps explain why this has dragged on.
Kuminga was on a $46 million contract last season. For now, the Lakers still seem to be in a strong spot, even if the finish line is nowhere near visible. Time will tell whether they can close the deal, but they clearly like where they stand.
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