Lakers get $20 million contract update for Jonathan Kuminga originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Jonathan Kuminga is still looking for a team in free agency.
The Los Angeles Lakers may still be looking for a starter at one of the forward spots after the departures of LeBron James and Rui Hachimura.
It certainly seems like a decent fit.
The Los Angeles Times wrote this update about Kuminga on Tuesady:
“Jonathan Kuminga is a player the Lakers are after, according to people with knowledge of the situation who said L.A. is looking at a two-year, $20-million deal for Kuminga, the sort of athletic wing player the Lakers need to start at small forward.”
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Kuminga is certainly a fascinating case study in free agency.
He was supposed to help bridge to a new generation with the Golden State Warriors, but the veterans he joined there instead outlasted him.
The Warriors traded Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks before the 2026 trade deadline to get Kristaps Porzingis. In Atlanta, Kuminga showed flashes of his talent, but the Hawks declined a player option for more than $20 million for 2026-27.
So now Kuminga is an unrestricted free agent, having watched some other talented players get contracts, and still now waiting for his own.
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He’s a polarizing player, to be sure. It’s easy to fall in love with his smooth scoring ability. It’s also fair to wonder whether other aspects of his game will grow at all, and if he can do more than just put the ball in the basket.
The Lakers are at a point where they can’t be too picky, though. There aren’t a ton of options out there.
Kuminga might just be the guy, if they can reach an agreement.
