The Los Angeles Lakers want Jonathan Kuminga. Getting him is proving harder than expected.
Los Angeles has been exploring a sign-and-trade centered on forward Jarred Vanderbilt and a 2032 first-round pick swap headed to Atlanta, per Yahoo Sports and NBC Sports. The structure would cap Kuminga’s 2026-27 salary at roughly $21.5 million. But Kuminga reportedly wants closer to $25 million per year. Talks have stalled.
Atlanta declined the 23-year-old’s $24.3 million team option this summer, making him an unrestricted free agent. The Hawks spent half a season with Kuminga after acquiring him from Golden State before the 2026 trade deadline, in a deal that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Warriors. Despite averaging 12.3 points and 5.6 rebounds across both stops last season, Kuminga never locked in a consistent starting role.
The Lakers’ leverage problem
Los Angeles enters this negotiation with limited tools. Most roster spots are filled, which complicates sign-and-trade logistics. Atlanta wanted the Lakers’ 2032 first-round pick swap, reportedly the only unprotected first the team can currently move, but that ask is not going anywhere, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.
The Lakers signed Matisse Thybulle this week on a one-year, $3.3 million deal. That move looks less like a solution and more like leverage: if Kuminga’s price stays high, Los Angeles will move on.
Cleveland enters the picture
The Cleveland Cavaliers have also surfaced as a potential destination for Kuminga, per reports. Cleveland carries more salary cap flexibility and would offer him a clearer path to playoff minutes. Whether that interest results in a concrete offer is still unclear.
Kuminga turned 23 last October. His ability to score off the bounce and guard multiple positions makes him a target every offseason. His actual output last season, a step below his 2024 average of 16.1 and his 2025 mark of 15.3 points, gives teams a negotiating foothold. NBA training camps open in late September. If Kuminga holds firm at a number no sign-and-trade can deliver, he may be looking at a shorter direct deal with a lower annual value.
Sources: Yahoo Sports / NBC Sports – Marc Stein / The Stein Line.
