The Los Angeles Lakers are in a heated competition with the Cleveland Cavaliers to sign unrestricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. Doing so would require one of the two teams to negotiate a sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks, which are reportedly open to bringing Kuminga back if nothing sufficient materializes.
If the deciding factor is ultimately who can give Kuminga the best opportunity to redefine his career trajectory, however, it's the Lakers by a country mile. It all comes down to role and fit.
In Cleveland, Kuminga would find it hard to secure consistent playing time at an ideal position. James Harden and Donovan Mitchell will be locked in as starters in the backcourt once the former re-signs, while Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen anchor the interior.
There's an opening at small forward for Kuminga to slot in and play meaningful minutes, but he'd be playing in a role that will require him to prioritize his weaknesses over his strengths.
Cleveland already has two ball-dominant guards and a pair of All-Star big men who need touches of their own. As such, Kuminga's inefficient three-point shot could instantly jeopardize his minutes as his on-ball opportunities would be scarce enough that a role as a sixth man could ultimately prove to be his ideal spot with the Cavaliers.
In Los Angeles, however, Kuminga would have a chance to start for the Lakers and compete in the wide-open race for the distinction of being the third option on offense.
Lakers can offer Jonathan Kuminga a more ideal role than the Cavaliers
Los Angeles has two clear-cut priorities on offense: Six-time All-NBA First Team point guard Luka Doncic and $180 million shooting guard Austin Reaves. They're both ball dominant players, and as such, Kuminga will need to improve his outside shooting to play big minutes.
The third option on offense has yet to be decided, however, and it's fair to question if one of Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, or Collin Sexton can truly take on the role.
Sexton is an efficient volume scorer who could conceivably produce the necessary numbers, but he's also a 6'3" guard who will likely play as the sixth man with two star guards already on the roster. Grimes has a captivating skill set, but he's yet to average more than 14.6 points per game through five NBA seasons.
Mamukelashvili is a per-36 menace at 18.9 points over the past two seasons, but his career high in points per game is 11.2. In other words: Like Grimes, we've yet to see him thrive in a high-volume role.
Jonathan Kuminga could be the Lakers' third scoring option
To be clear: Kuminga is in a similar boat as Grimes and Mamukelashvili. He thrives on a per-36 level at 20.3 points for his career, but has never averaged more than 16.1 in a single season. That isn't a deterrent, however, but instead the epitome of why this is such a great opportunity for him.
In Los Angeles, Kuminga would be competing with similar players whose skill sets complement his own for touches and shot attempts.
Grimes and Mamukelashvili are excellent catch-and-shoot players, meaning Kuminga could get downhill and even work the baseline for lobs from Doncic and Reaves. They're also unselfish players who wouldn't stand in the way of the 23-year-old playing his preferred style.
That's likely why the Lakers are, in fact, pursuing Kuminga as a potential starter. Per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line:
"Sources say that the Lakers would still like to sign Kuminga and make him their starting small forward … provided that the 23-year-old is ultimately willing to accept a contract structure on the Lakers' terms."
So long as Kuminga buys in on defense and works on steadily improving his three-point shot, the Lakers can simply offer the volume and opportunity that the Cavaliers are unlikely to be able to.
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