The Lakers’ search for a young wing keeps circling back to Jonathan Kuminga, but if that path stalls, another name has entered the conversation: Ziaire Williams.
Los Angeles is clearly trying to find a player who can help on both ends of the floor, and Kuminga has been the one most often linked to that mission. Still, with the offseason moving along, the Lakers may need to widen the net and look at other options, whether that means a trade or a free-agent pickup.
Sports Illustrated recently pointed to Williams as a possible fallback target.
“The Brooklyn Nets recently declined Ziaire Williams’ $6.3 million team option for next season, making him a free agent. The same thing happened with Kuminga and the Hawks, but a much higher number ($24.3 million)...
“The Los Angeles native might be the Lakers’ first call if the Kuminga trade doesn’t come to fruition. He’s a player who could have a similar impact compared to Kuminga, with his athleticism, length, size, and defensive upside,” Ryan Ward wrote.
Williams, a recent No. 10 pick, brings a different level of uncertainty than Kuminga, but he also fits the profile the Lakers seem to be chasing. Kuminga is likely the better player right now, though neither player has fully removed the questions around his game.
And in Los Angeles, Kuminga wouldn’t be asked to carry a huge scoring load anyway. He has not been a 25-point-per-game guy, and that’s not the role the Lakers would be handing him.
Williams, meanwhile, looks more like a connective piece - which could still work, as long as the Lakers are comfortable figuring out how he fits.
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