The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly considering signing free agent Jonathan Kuminga. According to The Athletic’s Dan Woike, the Lakers are eyeing perimeter upgrades for defensive purposes, with General Manager Rob Pelinka considering taking a swing on Kuminga, who is regarded as one of the most athletic players in the NBA.
“The team, according to league sources who were granted anonymity to freely discuss the Lakers’ offseason moves, is still seeking a young wing to help its perimeter defense. A high-upside swing receiving significant consideration, per league sources, is former Golden State Warrior and Atlanta Hawk Jonathan Kuminga, whose $24.3 million team option was recently declined by Atlanta,” Woike wrote on Wednesday.
Kuminga fell out of favor in Golden State last season after a strong start. He was the team’s best perimeter player in the first few games. Notably, one of his best defensive games was against the Lakers on opening night when he was the primary defender on Luka Doncic.
The box scores suggest otherwise: Doncic had 43 points, but Kuminga made the Lakers guard work for all seven of his field goals on 12 attempts. However, Kuminga’s intensity slipped as the season progressed and the Warriors traded him to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis before the deadline.
Atlanta presented a solid opportunity, but the young Eastern Conference unit, coming off a playoff run, did not opt in to Kuminga’s team option.
Most Lakers fans are not excited about Pelinka reportedly viewing Kuminga as the answer to Los Angeles’ defensive holes.
“Defense and Kuminga? Nice one Robert lmao,” one fan scoffed at the report.
More reactions followed.
The Lakers only have a veteran minimum contract to offer if they want Jonathan Kuminga
The Los Angeles Lakers made four quick-fire moves on Wednesday by acquiring Walker Kessler on a four-year $130 million contract, Sandro Mamukelashvili on a four-year $52 million contract, Quentin Grimes on a four-year $60 million contract and Collin Sexton on a two-year $19 million contract.
Los Angeles will also soon make Austin Reaves’ four-year, $185 million contract extension official. With these moves, the team has exhausted its cap space, leaving it with the veteran minimum contracts of around $3-4 million each to fill its two roster spots.
For now, that’s the best the Los Angeles Lakers can offer Jonathan Kuminga, who is coming off a season in which he made $23.8 million. The Lakers can make space by waiving and stretching the remaining two years of Jarred Vanderbilt’s $18.9 million salary.
It can create up to $7 million in cap room, giving Los Angeles an advantage in the Kuminga sweepstakes if other teams are interested in him.
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