The NBA offseason was largely on pause as the league anxiously awaited the decision of LeBron James. Now that he has reportedly chosen the Philadelphia 76ers, the rest of the free agents at the same position can look for a new home. This includes Atlanta Hawks free agent Jonathan Kuminga.
The Lakers and Kuminga have been heavily linked since Atlanta declined his team option for the 2026-27 season, but the sides have been unable to finalize anything, whether it be due to Kuminga’s preferred salary or the Hawks and Lakers not finding agreeable sign-and-trade terms. That hasn’t stopped the Lakers from their pursuit, though.
“I can tell you that they keep calling Jonathan Kuminga,” Anthony Slater reported on ESPN. “And again, obviously they have not made a lucrative enough offer for Kuminga to jump. But part of their pitch has been, ‘Hey, you can come start here potentially.’ And that says two things to me. Number one, it says the Lakers still don’t want to be done making moves. And they believe they’re a little weak on the wing position. Which, I think [Matisse] Thybulle will help. I think Ziaire Williams will help, but they could use some more juice on the wing, and maybe they get Kuminga done. Maybe they don’t. I think the LeBron domino affects Kuminga and what he may or may not be able to get. But, again, all I can tell you is Rob Pelinka keeps calling about Jonathan Kuminga.”
A quick glance at the Lakers roster would make it clear that the team is in need of a starting-caliber wing. There aren’t many of those available on the free agent or trade market, making Kuminga an important get for L.A. However, general manager Rob Pelinka is clearly not looking to overpay — either in salary or draft compensation — to land him.
James choosing the 76ers means that Kuminga’s other rumored destination, the Cleveland Cavaliers, might be in the market for a wing. It’s part of why the Kuminga situation was on hold while James made his decision. It’s possible that with that domino fallen, we could see a resolution to the Kuminga free agency quickly.
Lakers still monitoring market for big men
Getting Kuminga likely wouldn’t completely finalize the Lakers’ offseason. Reports state that they are still in search of multiple positions, including another big man. The Lakers overhauled their center rotation from Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes to Walker Kessler and Kevon Looney. However, that still might not be enough given the injury history of both players.
If you love our reporting, choose LakersNation.com as a preferred source on Google.
