The Lakers are making the wing a priority, and Dalton Knecht may be the odd man out.
Los Angeles has been busy this offseason, and the front office’s approach is starting to come into focus: keep building around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, and keep adding pieces that fit the roster better on the perimeter. The team has already completed two major trades, one for Walker Kessler and another that sent Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards, and now the next move could involve reshaping the wing rotation again.
According to NBA reporter Evan Sidery, the Lakers are shopping both Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt.
“The Lakers are actively shopping Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt in trade talks. After gaining two second-round picks in the Deandre Ayton trade, Los Angeles could consolidate those assets in a deal immediately for a starting-caliber wing,” NBA reporter Evan Sidery wrote.
That search for wing help appears to extend beyond the trade market. One of the names now tied to Los Angeles is Jonathan Kuminga, and the Lakers are reportedly pushing hard to land him.
“On the wings, the Lakers are still exploring adding Jonathan Kuminga to their roster. Kuminga is drawing interest from other teams, but the unrestricted free agent forward is a significant priority for the Lakers,” The California Post’s Khobi Price wrote.
Kuminga spent last season with the Atlanta Hawks after being traded from the Golden State Warriors, but that stay may be short-lived. ESPN reported that Atlanta is declining his $24.3 million team option, which will send him into free agency.
“The Atlanta Hawks are declining Jonathan Kuminga's $24.3 million team option, making him a free agent. Kuminga, who will turn 24 before next season, played in 16 regular-season games for the Hawks after joining the team via trade in February, averaging 12.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in 22.1 minutes,” ESPN wrote.
Kuminga earned $23 million in the first year of his contract last season, and the Lakers’ interest makes their direction pretty clear. They’re still working the phones on Knecht, still weighing Vanderbilt, and still hunting for another wing who can help right away.
Los Angeles also added Cameron Carr in the draft as part of that same effort to deepen the position. For now, though, Knecht’s place in the picture looks less secure by the day.
In Other News...
Luka Just Gave Lakers Fans A New Reason To Revisit LeBrons Exit
Luka Doncics latest rapid-fire interview offered a reminder of just how naturally his basketball mind gravitates toward Nikola Jokic. The Lakers star kept leaning into the Nuggets center when asked to make quick two-on-two choices, a reflection of the close bond and ongoing banter the two share, and a small but telling glimpse into the kind of player Doncic seems to value most.
The final stretch of the segment only added to the intrigue, with Doncic moving on to Larry Bird and then Michael Jordan in his last picks. For Lakers fans, the bigger takeaway is what this says about the teams new center of gravity after LeBron James offseason departure, because every Doncic answer now feels like part of the bigger conversation about where the franchise is headed next. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers May Be Backing Off Kuminga For A Stunning Veteran Pivot
With LeBron James moving on, the Lakers have been able to lean fully into an offseason plan built around Luka Doncic, and they have already started reshaping the roster with the trade for Walker Kessler and a handful of free-agent additions. Even with those moves in place, the front office has kept its attention on Jonathan Kuminga, whose fit as a young, athletic wing still makes him one of the more intriguing names on their board.
The catch is that the Lakers may not want to wait forever if the Kuminga pursuit stalls. One league source has suggested the team is at least considering a veteran pivot, and that would shift the conversation from upside and long-term fit to a more immediate, established option on the wing. For a team trying to balance urgency with flexibility around Doncic, that kind of fallback could say plenty about how the rest of the summer is likely to unfold. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Linked To Rare Wing Target They Almost Never Can Land
The Lakers are once again being tied to a wing who checks a lot of boxes, and that alone makes the rumor worth watching. Bleacher Reports speculation around Trey Murphy points to the kind of player Los Angeles rarely gets a clean shot at: a big, versatile wing who can space the floor, hold up defensively and add some juice as a finisher around the rim.
Murphys appeal goes beyond the usual trade chatter because he fits the exact sort of roster need the Lakers keep circling back to. He also comes with a sizable commitment still left on his deal over the next three seasons, which helps explain why any serious pursuit would be complicated, and why this could become more than just another name floating through the rumor mill. [Read more 🡒]