The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly in the market for a forward, and there are a handful of options that they are exploring.
The Lakers have done a ton of business this offseason, adding Walker Kessler as the team’s starting center, along with Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, and Collin Sexton.
The current roster has some more depth and looks to be set in terms of guards, but there is still a glaring need for at least one forward, if not two.
The Lakers have Mamukelashvili, who can play either the three or four position, along with Jarred Vanderbilt and Jake LaRavia, who can man either wing spot as well.
The issue for the Lakers is that Vanderbilt has been massively inconsistent and injury-prone, while LaRavia had a great first half of the season and a poor second half, which led to his dropping out of the rotation.
From last year’s team, Marcus Smart has already departed, who could guard bigger players, while Rui Hachimura remains a free agent, and likely out of the team’s price range.
Who are the Lakers targeting?
With the trade of Deandre Ayton, the Lakers opened up a bit of money to sign a starting forward, and one name seems to be at the top of people’s minds.
“There’s definitely Lakers interest in Kuminga too,” Jake Fischer reported on Bleacher Report. “The Lakers, to my understanding, were very in on Kuminga yesterday, they’ve maintained contact there.
“There’s definitely a pitch that’s been made about the opportunity he could have to help Luka Doncic contend in the Western Conference… Rui Hachimura, to my understanding, is not a priority to the Lakers… We keep hearing Kuminga stuff.
“I believe Trey Lyles was another name on the Lakers list before he went to Minnesota earlier today… I don’t think Rui is going back there are all.
“I do think Los Angeles, and have been told that Los Angeles has interest in Jonathan Kuminga. So Jonathan Kuminga, to my understanding, is the Lakers’ top choice right now at the wing spot of all the guys left on the board.”
Kuminga is still very young and has a ton of untapped potential that the Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks have failed to unlock.
He could be a starter alongside Luka Doncic, who will make life easy for Kuminga. The Lakers need a forward, and if they were to add a player of Kuminga’s caliber, this would be a great offseason for general manager Rob Pelinka, who is facing pressure.
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