Lakers get encouraging sign one Jonathan Kuminga possibility may be ruled out

For those who are still heavily invested in the Jonathan Kuminga sweepstakes and seeing the Los Angeles Lakers come away with him, there is good news to be had from reading the latest tea leaves coming from the Atlanta Hawks. A return to his last team may be off the menu of possibilities.

As things stand, the Hawks are already well over the 15-man roster limit for opening night, currently sitting at 17. It has also been reported that Atlanta is making plans to give away Kuminga's number zero for this upcoming season. Luguentz Dort is expected to wear that jersey for the team in October.

Little things like this greatly suggest a sign of what is to come. The Hawks may still be an important part of figuring out Kuminga's next destination, given that a sign-and-trade could be the means of how the free agent forward can secure a payday with his new team.

However, a short-term future in Atlanta where Kuminga plays on a one-year deal may be out of the question moving forward. That should be an encouraging sign for the Lakers that they have one less competitor to deal with in trying to secure themselves a starting-caliber forward for next season.

Lakers still hold a clear edge as Jonathan Kuminga's top destination amid coming Hawks departure

The teams most recently linked to Kuminga have been the Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Clippers. There is good reason to believe Rob Pelinka can get his guy here with the likelihood of an Atlanta return dwindling.

The Clippers are still wrapped up in the Kawhi Leonard saga. They do not quite know what their financial situation looks like just yet, and that can prevent them from handing out a legitimate offer worth Kuminga's time.

Meanwhile, the Cavaliers appear to be prioritizing a pursuit of Peyton Watson in free agency. That could get in the way of securing Kuminga, if another team convinces him during the time of Cleveland trying to get the affairs sorted with Watson.

Minnesota would present an attractive landing spot for the athletic forward in terms of playing time. However, the Lakers can offer a similar starting role, and more money.

Considering all of this, it is tough to see how Los Angeles would not be the destination to beat.

Perhaps Kuminga wants a little more money than what the Lakers are offering, but the franchise needs to do right by them and protect their nontaxpayer midlevel exception for next season. Even with that being true, Los Angeles is still the premier destination regarding role and financials.

That much has always been the case, and should give them the clear edge as the next potential team for the 23-year-old.

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