With the Jan. 15 date now here, the trade market around the NBA is set to heat up as many players are now eligible to be dealt. The Los Angeles Lakers are believed to be scouring the market for potential roster upgrades and one very intriguing option is Golden State Warriors wing Jonathan Kuminga.
An excellent athlete who has proven his ability to get buckets at a high level, Kuminga has all the tools to really break out. However, he and Warriors head coach Steve Kerr have been unable to get on the same page for a couple seasons now, leading to him being in and out of the rotation regularly and reportedly demanding a trade.
Now that he is eligible, many believe Kuminga will finally be dealt prior to the trade deadline and according to Marcus Thompson II, Sam Amick and Nick Friedell of The Athletic, the Lakers have interest in him, though talks have yet to take place:
League and team sources confirmed a report that the Lakers have some interest in Kuminga, though it remains unclear if talks will unfold. The Warriors, the sources said, are aware of the intrigue and waiting to see how that situation evolves.
The Lakers’ interest in Kuminga makes some sense as he is still just 23 years old and taking a gamble on someone with obvious talent like him could pay off big time. The team has apparently had their eye on Kuminga for some time now and while he is primarily a scorer, he has shown that he can be a good defender when engaged as well and the Lakers sorely need help on their perimeter defense.
Of course, the question remains what would it take to get the deal done and are the Lakers willing to pay that price. It’s also possible the Warriors could be hesitant to trade Kuminga within their division so that could hike up the price even more.
The Lakers know that roster improvements are needed if they plan on being a true contender and Kuminga represents the best of both worlds as he is someone who can make an immediate impact in the short-term, while also potentially being part of the long-term core of this team.
Lakers looking to turn 2032 first into multiple draft picks
The struggle for the Lakers in trying to pull off a trade for Kuminga or any other player they are interested in is their lack of draft capital. The Lakers can only include one first-round draft pick in a deal, which is why the team is reportedly looking to turn that pick into multiple lesser firsts.
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