The Lakers are staring at a roster problem that goes well beyond one season, and Jonathan Kuminga has emerged as the kind of young swing that could at least change the conversation. Los Angeles doesn’t have much in the way of assets or young talent, and outside of Luka Doncic, it’s hard to point to much that suggests a real long-term core.
That’s why a move for Kuminga has appeal on paper. He’s the sort of player who fits the idea of taking a shot on upside, especially for a team that doesn’t have many young, talented pieces to work with. But the cost is where things get messy.
“The problem, however, is going to be the price point,” Jedd Pagaduan wrote. “Kuminga was slated to make around $24 million for next season, but the Hawks chose to reject his team option, making him a free agent. With that in mind, it will be interesting to see how much the 23-year-old will demand in the open market.
“The Lakers could, perhaps, package the recently-acquired Jaden Hardy along with a slew of second-round picks to bring Kuminga over in a sign-and-trade with the Hawks. But does LA truly want to deplete their asset base even further after giving up the world to trade for Kessler?”
That’s the tension for Los Angeles. Jaden Hardy isn’t some major centerpiece, and second-round picks don’t carry much weight in today’s NBA, but the Lakers also don’t have much else to offer. They can shuffle together a few pieces in future deals, sure, but the bigger issue is that the cupboard is still pretty bare.
And that’s what makes any aggressive move risky. One more miss could leave the Lakers in an even tighter spot, with fewer ways to dig themselves out.
In Other News...
Lakers May Be Backing Off Kuminga For A Stunning Veteran Pivot
The Lakers have spent much of the offseason reshaping the roster around Luka Doncic, and the early moves have reflected that direction. After trading for Walker Kessler and adding several free agents, the front office still has work to do on the wing, which is why Jonathan Kuminga has remained a name to watch as the team looks for another young piece who can fit the timeline.
Kuminga is still the priority, but the Lakers are also keeping their options open if that pursuit stalls. One possibility gaining traction is a veteran swingman who was just waived after a stint in Sacramento, a sign the Lakers may be willing to pivot from upside to experience if the market does not break their way. [Read more 🡒]
D'Angelo Russell Just Became Another Painful Lakers Reminder
A sprawling six-team trade has sent Khris Middleton from Dallas to Washington and set off another round of movement across the league, with players and draft picks shifting among the Wizards, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Pistons, Bucks and Clippers. It is the kind of deal that can take a few reads to untangle, and for the Lakers it comes with a familiar name in the middle of it all: DAngelo Russell.
Russells latest stop only adds to the long list of reminders tied to his time in Los Angeles, where his recent run ended before he was moved on again. He has now been bounced through Brooklyn, Dallas and Washington in short order, and the latest trade only deepens the sense that the Lakers have spent years trying to move past a player who keeps reappearing in the broader conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Just Took A Huge Step In Their LeBron Pursuit
LeBron James is once again at the center of the leagues biggest offseason conversation, with the Warriors reportedly making a real push to see whether a move to Golden State could become more than just a long-shot idea. Multiple meetings have already taken place, and Stephen Curry has been part of those conversations, which tells you this is not the usual background noise of free agency. It is the kind of recruitment effort that only happens when a team believes it has a legitimate opening.
For the Lakers, the intrigue is obvious because any serious traction elsewhere changes the temperature around James future immediately. The reporting points to mutual interest, but it stops short of any final call, which leaves plenty unresolved for a player whose decisions tend to reshape the rest of the league. Even with the Warriors pressing forward, the story still hangs on what James wants next and whether this latest round of courtship actually goes anywhere. [Read more 🡒]