The Lakers have made their summer intentions pretty clear: Jonathan Kuminga is the name they keep circling.
Kuminga, still a restricted free agent, has emerged as Los Angeles’ top target as the offseason winds down. The Cavaliers had been the most serious obstacle in the way, but that chase has shifted.
As NBA reporter Evan Sidery put it, “Jonathan Kuminga remains the Lakers’ top free agent target before finishing their offseason. As the Cavaliers have pivoted to chasing Peyton Watson, Kuminga is the sole focus currently for Los Angeles.
There could soon be momentum gathering on Kuminga to LA via sign-and-trade,”
Other teams have checked in too. The Timberwolves and Kings both showed interest, but the deal never got off the ground because Kuminga is not looking to take a one-year prove-it contract at the veteran minimum.
Sidery made that part plain as well: “Jonathan Kuminga is not willing to sign with any team on a one-year prove-it deal at the veteran’s minimum. The Kings and Timberwolves recently expressed interest in Kuminga, but the minimum salary made negotiations a no-go.
The Lakers remain the favorites to acquire Kuminga,”
That lines up with Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale, who sees Los Angeles as the likeliest landing spot if the money can be worked out. Favale wrote, “Whether Jonathan Kuminga belongs here has little to do with his value as a player.
We have yet to see him deliver complementary offense, rebounding and defense for an entire season on top of his from-scratch proclivities, but the physical tools and semi-extended stretches of highest-percentile actualization remain tantalizing. Potential cost is the only barrier for entry.
He could be someone that gets more than the $6.1 million mini MLE, particularly if the Atlanta Hawks are willing to facilitate a sign-and-trade,”
The fit is obvious from the Lakers’ perspective. They know Kuminga from plenty of matchups, and they’re betting on what he could become rather than what he has already fully shown. He was on a $46 million contract last season, and Los Angeles has sold him on the idea that playing next to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves could unlock more of his offense.
If the Lakers can close it, Kuminga would give them another significant piece to add to what has already been a strong offseason.
In Other News...
Lakers Sale Drama Just Pulled The Franchise Into Trump Family Speculation
The early chatter around the Lakers planned $12.5 billion sale has taken on a political edge, with speculation swirling over whether the process has anything to do with President Donald Trump or his administration. The White House stepped in to deny that connection, as the sale itself continues to draw outsized attention because of the size of the deal and the prominent names attached to it, including Josh Kushner and Bob Iger.
Josh Kushners family ties to Trump have helped fuel the noise, even though he has no official role in the administration. Amid the broader talk about federal investigations involving current owner Mark Walter and whether they could be used as leverage, Kushners venture capital firm also pushed back on the claims, leaving the story in a familiar holding pattern: plenty of speculation, but no public proof tying the Lakers sale to the White House. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Could Be Pulled Into A Lakers Trade Shakeup
With the Lakers still over the regular-season roster limit, the front office is again being pushed toward a numbers game that could force some tough choices before opening night. Los Angeles has a crowded group on hand, and the need to get down to 15 players has put a few names into the mix as the team works to reshape the back end of the roster around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
One of the more interesting possibilities has pulled Cleveland into the conversation, with trade talks centered on adding more shooting to a Lakers group that could use it. Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt have been among the players in the discussion, and the framework of the talks suggests the Lakers are still trying to balance immediate roster flexibility with a cleaner fit for their top creators. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Ownership Shift Could Reshape JJ Redicks Future Fast
JJ Redick already has a little more security than most first-year Lakers coaches can count on. After his first season, he received an extension that lines his deal up with Rob Pelinkas, a sign that the organization wanted to keep its coach and front office tethered together as it moved forward. In the normal run of things, that would be enough to put Redick on stable ground heading into the next phase of the job.
The wrinkle is that the Lakers are now entering an ownership transition, with Bob Iger and Josh Kushner among the new faces at the top and no detailed blueprint yet for how they plan to reshape the franchise. Around that shift, one name has started to surface in conversation: recently retired Chris Paul, whose long relationship with Iger has fueled talk that he could eventually be considered for an advisory role. For Redick, that means the future may be tied not just to his own performance, but to how the new decision-makers decide to build around him. [Read more 🡒]