The Lakers have been chasing Jonathan Kuminga all summer, but the path to landing him is still blocked. Los Angeles has tried to carve out the financial flexibility needed to make a move, yet the deal hasn’t come together, even after putting a sign-and-trade offer on the table.
According to NBA reporter Evan Sidery, “The Lakers have offered Jonathan Kuminga a contract via sign-and-trade that would pay him around $45 million. Los Angeles is willing to send Jarred Vanderbilt alongside draft capital to the Hawks for Kuminga, who must sign at least a three-year deal in sign-and-trade agreements," NBA reporter Evan Sidery wrote.
The problem for the Lakers is that Cleveland is now making its own push. The Cavaliers are working to open up room for the kind of wing they want, and that could include Kuminga.
“The Cleveland Cavaliers are trading Dennis Schroder and cash to the Charlotte Hornets for Tre Mann, sources told ESPN on Friday. In Schroder, Charlotte picks up an established veteran at point guard who has history with Hornets president Jeff Peterson and coach Charles Lee from his tenure in Atlanta at the start of his career,” ESPN’s Shams Charania wrote.
That move adds to the idea that Cleveland is setting itself up for a bigger swing. Lake Show Life’s Jordanna Clark pointed to that flexibility as a potential problem for Los Angeles.
“He could do the same in Cleveland, though, as the Cavaliers hope their championship dreams will come true in 2027. It could come down to which team offers Kuminga the best contract, rather than the better opportunity.
After all, he's waited this long to make a decision, and it could pay off (literally), as the Cavaliers created greater financial flexibility for themselves. They still need to re-sign James Harden, but they can do that and land Kuminga,” Clark wrote.
Cleveland may still have Peyton Watson as its preferred target, but that path is not simple. A sign-and-trade with the Denver Nuggets could be hard to pull off, and if it breaks down, Kuminga becomes a much more realistic option.
The Cavaliers also appear willing to keep working the edges of the roster, with another possible move involving Max Strus on the table. And if Cleveland decides to seriously engage in a sign-and-trade, the Hawks would likely listen if the package makes sense.
For the Lakers, that leaves a familiar headache: they still need to create the room to get Kuminga, while Cleveland is already taking the steps to put itself in position. If the two teams end up competing for the former Warriors champion, the Cavaliers may be the ones holding the cleaner hand.
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The Lakers have been linked to Jonathan Kuminga for weeks, and their interest has only sharpened as the offseason market around him takes shape. Cleveland is in the mix too, with both teams seen as realistic landing spots for the young wing, and the Cavaliers have already cleared the kind of financial room needed to keep pushing on their targets.
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