There are still moves to be made to fill out the Los Angeles Lakers’ roster and the front office has continued to explore avenues with which to improve the team. Recently, the Lakers have been linked to wing Jonathan Kuminga, who is an unrestricted free agent but is seeking more money in a deal than most teams can offer.
As such, there have been discussions on a potential sign-and-trade with the Lakers reportedly offering veteran wing Jarred Vanderbilt and their 2032 first-round pick swap to the Atlanta Hawks. And while a sign-and-trade is the most likely route for Kuminga wherever he winds up, the Hawks reportedly have no interest in taking back Vanderbilt, via NBA insider Jake Fischer:
While Kuminga and his representation have held ongoing dialogue with the Lakers about a potential role alongside Luka Dončić, sources say that the Hawks are seeking more than the Lakers can offer to this point.
It’s believed that the Lakers hope to package their lone tradeable first-round pick swap left over in 2032 along with Jarred Vanderbilt in a sign-and-trade proposal for Kuminga. Sources say Atlanta, however, has not considered taking back Vanderbilt in a deal that sends out Kuminga.
There are said to be multi-team scenarios that the Lakers could pursue that offload Vanderbilt to a different team than Atlanta. That would help the Lakers provide Kuminga with an offer richer than the two-year, $20 million deal that sources say they originally presented him.
While Kuminga would naturally be hoping for a richer deal than that, I’m told that the 23-year-old scorer is indeed open to various contract structures below his 2025-26 season salary of $22.5 million depending on what sort of sign-and-trade scenarios materialize from known suitors such as the Lakers and Cavaliers.
The most clarity that can be offered on Kuminga’s future: If he indeed leaves Atlanta, it is almost certainly going to be via sign-and-trade rather than a move facilitated by cap space.
Vanderbilt still has two years and nearly $25 million remaining on his contract with a player option for the 2027-28 year and that is likely a major reason the Hawks have no desire to receive him in a potential deal. Regardless of the reason, this means the Lakers would have to find a third team to take on Vanderbilt’s contract if they are insistent on bringing in Kuminga.
There aren’t many wings left on the open market who fit their need and, as was noted, there are other teams in pursuit of him as well so the front office will have to get creative and figure out a way to make something work to land the wing they have their eyes on.
PJ Washington contract not appealing to the Lakers
The Lakers have also been linked to another forward in PJ Washington of the Dallas Mavericks who, is a former teammate of Luka Doncic and fits well. But the Lakers reportedly have no interest in taking on his contract that has four years and $88 million remaining.
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