The Lakers still have one big question hanging over the roster as the season nears: who fills the starting power forward spot?
Even after a flurry of moves, Los Angeles has not finished the job. The club has been trying to build out the roster after LeBron James left for the Philadelphia 76ers, but it has not landed every target it has chased. The latest miss came with Jonathan Kuminga, who went to the Minnesota Timberwolves instead.
That leaves the Lakers with a vacancy they still need to solve, and it’s not a minor one. Lake Show Life’s Svyatoslav Rovenchuk pointed directly to that open spot in the starting five, writing, “Then, there is the power forward position.
This is the last domino among the starting lineup that really does not have full clarity just yet. There are certainly players internally, and even externally, who could fill the vacancy," Lake Show Life's Svyatoslav Rovenchuk wrote.
One name that keeps surfacing is Derrick Jones Jr. of the Los Angeles Clippers, a $48 million ex-Heat wing who would fit the 3-and-D mold the Lakers have been searching for. But getting him would require a trade, and the situation may be more complicated than a simple phone call.
ClutchPoints’ Tomer Azarly said Jones could push for a move if the right opportunity comes along. “I think sometimes agents see different opportunities around the league to play more, make more money, contend for a championship, potentially, so that could also weigh into it,” said Azarly. “If they see a better opportunity elsewhere, they’ll approach the Clippers, and the Clippers, in good faith, will try to get them where they want to go.”
There is also a belief that Jones would prefer to stay in Los Angeles. If that holds true, it could give the Lakers a real advantage in any pursuit. And if the door opens, the Lakers are expected to be ready.
The message is clear: Los Angeles still needs help at power forward, and if Derrick Jones Jr. becomes available, the Lakers do not plan to hesitate.
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The Timberwolves have the kind of starting group that can make a roster look solid on paper, but the margins behind it remain worth watching. Frontcourt depth is the main concern, especially with only Joan Beringer and Trey Lyles available as backup bigs on standard contracts, which leaves the team a little thin if injuries or foul trouble start to pile up.
Minnesota does have an open roster spot, and that gives the front office some flexibility as it weighs veteran options such as Drew Eubanks or Kelly Olynyk, along with the possibility of a trade deadline move. The team could also patch things together with two-way or 10-day contracts, but the question is whether that is enough for a group with bigger ambitions once the season starts to get tested. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Already Face One Big Offensive Question With LaMelo and Ant
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Balls workload is expected to be managed carefully, so the Wolves are going to have to find scoring from elsewhere in the rotation. Jaden McDaniels, Ayo Dosunmu, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Bones Hyland are among the players expected to help fill those gaps, and how well that support group holds up could go a long way toward determining whether Minnesotas offense stays steady or bogs down whenever its two headliners sit. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Kuminga Already Puts The Wolves In A Tough Spot
The Timberwolves have added Jonathan Kuminga on a two-year contract, and the early read is that he is being slotted in as the starting power forward. It is the kind of move that can reshape a rotation quickly, especially for a team trying to sharpen its frontcourt and get clear answers about how the pieces fit around him.
The interesting part is what happens if the fit is not as smooth as expected. Minnesota would then have to decide whether to keep Kuminga in that role or rethink his usage, and that is where the history matters. He was not especially comfortable with coming off the bench during his time with the Warriors, so any future move out of the starting group could become a sensitive part of the equation. [Read more 🡒]