As the Los Angeles Lakers look to put the finishing touches on their roster for the 2026-27 season, their biggest need is a starting-caliber power forward.
The name they have been linked to the most for weeks now is Jonathan Kuminga, who looks like he will be departing the Atlanta Hawks after their acquired him from the Golden State Warriors at last year’s trade deadline. While for a while it seemed like Kuminga ending up in L.A. was a foregone conclusion, that may no longer be the case, per Dan Woike of The Athletic:
The Athletic has reported on the Lakers’ interest in free agent Jonathan Kuminga since late June, but it appears that momentum has stalled with the sides far apart on terms and L.A. not overly motivated to push significant draft capital into sign-and-trade scenarios. Still, he appears to be the biggest upside play left on the table, and could re-emerge as a target if his market remains tepid. Cleveland, according to league sources, is the team most-often connected to Kuminga other than the Lakers.
The Lakers have used all of their cap space this offseason, so they would need to complete a sign-and-trade with the Hawks in order to acquire Kuminga. According to recent reports, the Hawks are not interested in taking on the contract of Jarred Vanderbilt, which would be the holdup in trade talks.
If the Lakers are serious about landing Kuminga then they could use some of their remaining draft capital to loop in a third team to take on Vanderbilt or any of their other expiring contracts. They have three second-round picks and one first-round pick swap they can trade but clearly have been hesitant to do so to this point.
As stated in Woike’s report, the other team with reported interest in Kuminga is the Cleveland Cavaliers. They are obviously currently pursuing LeBron James though, which is why a resolution on Kuminga is not expected until the 41-year-old makes his choice in free agency.
Lakers interested in Matisse Thybulle
One alternative to Kuminga for the Lakers could be signing a player like Matisse Thybulle, and they are reportedly interested. Thybulle is one of the best defenders in the NBA but has struggled to stay healthy, which is why he could potentially be had for a minimum contract in free agency.
If the Lakers are unable to land Kuminga, then they could shift their focus to someone like Thybulle.
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