The Los Angeles Lakers might end the offseason without Jonathan Kuminga or P.J. Washington joining their franchise. According to reports, Kuminga has been linked more frequently, while there have been murmurs that Los Angeles is eyeing a trade for Luka Doncic’s former teammate, Washington.
However, NBA insider Jake Fischer’s latest reporting around the Lakers’ chances of signing either player has raised concerns. On Sunday, during Bleacher Report’s live stream at the Summer League in Las Vegas, Fischer said the “iron is losing its hotness” as Los Angeles and Kuminga’s camp delay an agreement.
“The longer they don’t come to an agreement on a deal … it does kind of seem like the iron is losing its hotness, if that’s a way to butcher that metaphor,’ Fischer said. “People are actually wondering what potential secondary wing options could the Lakers look at because Los Angeles clearly, even though they had a pretty sweeping run in free agency (signing Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Quentin Grimes) … they’re clearly still looking at Jonathan Kuming being their starting wing.”
Fischer pivoted to the Washington rumors, saying he would be a natural fit alongside Doncic due to their time in Dallas. However, Fischer said the Lakers might not pursue him for one reason.
“He’s due plenty of money over the next several seasons, and it does appear that while the Lakers shelled out a bunch of cash this past summer, P.J. Washington is not someone they are looking at reuniting with Luka Doncic.”
Washington, 27, is under contract for four years. He’s owed a guaranteed salary of $88,762,439 over that stretch. While the Lakers have players under contract for that length, not everyone outside of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler will make that level of annual salary.
The most the Lakers are offering on a four-year deal is $15 million, which Quentin Grimes will earn annually through the 2029-30 season.
Hawks reportedly inclined to sign-and-trade with Lakers for Jonathan Kuminga
The Atlanta Hawks are reportedly willing to agree to a sign-and-trade with the Los Angeles Lakers for Jonathan Kuminga. According to New York Post’s Khobi Price, the trade could center on Jarred Vanderbilt and Los Angeles’ 2032 first-round pick swap.
“A source told the Post the Hawks are willing to execute a sign-and-trade with the Lakers around the framework of Kuminga going to L.A. and the Hawks receiving Jarred Vanderbilt and the Lakers’ 2032 first-round pick swap – the lone option the Lakers have of trading a first-round pick this summer,” he wrote. “Los Angeles also has three second-round picks (Wizards two picks and its own 2033 pick) available to trade.”
The Lakers are operating over the cap, so a sign-and-trade is the only way they can acquire Kuminga. It would be a better way to pursue him as Los Angeles doesn’t have more than $10 million to offer outright, even if it were operating under the cap. Such a move also allows the Lakers to move off of the remaining two years of Vanderbilt’s $25.7 million guaranteed salary, creating space for a player who will likely make a significant contribution.
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