Jonathan Kuminga’s market has narrowed fast, and the Los Angeles Lakers look like the team sitting in the best position to land him.
The big hurdle has been simple: getting Kuminga to buy into a deal that sends him to Los Angeles and fits what he wants financially. The Lakers have already put a contract on the table, and they’re not sitting back and waiting for the situation to resolve itself.
“The Lakers have offered Jonathan Kuminga a contract via sign-and-trade that would pay him around $45 million. Los Angeles is willing to send Jarred Vanderbilt alongside draft capital to the Hawks for Kuminga, who must sign at least a three-year deal in sign-and-trade agreements," NBA reporter Evan Sidery posted.
Cleveland had been the main team to watch, but that path now looks less likely. The Cavaliers have moved their attention to Denver Nuggets wing Peyton Watson, which gives the Lakers even more room to work.
“The Cavaliers appear to be prioritizing Peyton Watson now over Jonathan Kuminga as their Plan B wing option after missing out on LeBron James. Cleveland would offer Max Strus or Dennis Schröder alongside a future swap. The Nuggets remain in a serious bind due to apron issues,” Sidery wrote.
Minnesota and Sacramento have checked in as well, but their interest hasn’t gone far enough to matter. Both teams were only prepared to talk veteran’s minimum money, and Kuminga has no interest in taking that kind of deal.
“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,” Sidery posted.
That leaves Los Angeles with the clearest lane. The Cavaliers have shifted elsewhere, and the Kings and Timberwolves can’t get to the number Kuminga wants. Right now, the Lakers are the only team that appears to have both the willingness and the financial setup to make it work.
And the pitch is obvious. Playing next to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves in a featured role gives the Lakers a recruiting edge that most teams can’t match. For Kuminga, that may be the only realistic route that checks both boxes: the role he wants and the contract he’s after.
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