The Los Angeles Lakers got their low-risk insurance policy for the wings on Monday. Rob Pelinka and the front office secured a one-year, $3 million deal with Ziaire Williams to temporarily fill their final roster spot. That last part should not mean the offseason is over just yet.
Jonathan Kuminga is a name that has been endlessly linked to the Lakers during the offseason. With finances being a hold-up, the two sides have yet to figure out how to make the union happen just yet. Despite that, Shams Charania reported Los Angeles is still making their push.
"Lakers reach a deal with Williams ... and LA continues to strongly pursue Jonathan Kuminga as a potential starting forward, sources tell ESPN."
The ESPN insider essentially spelled out that Williams' signing does not erase the Lakers' chase of Kuminga in free agency. This is not an either/or situation. Los Angeles wants both.
Targeting Jonathan Kuminga should still be on the menu for the Lakers
The clearest path that involves Kuminga arriving in Los Angeles has officially become a sign-and-trade. That strategy would allow the free agent forward and the Lakers to knock off multiple hurdles in the joining of forces.
For Kuminga, it would allow Los Angeles to free up outgoing salary in the efforts to satisfy his financial desires. That creates the added flexibility for the Lakers to give him a contract he would feel a lot more comfortable with than what has been otherwise doable to this point.
So far, the reported offer Kuminga has been getting involves an average of $10 million per season. Using the sign-and-trade mechanic opens up the opportunity for a higher annual salary.
It could benefit the Lakers, too, if they manage to get rid of a bad contract in Jarred Vanderbilt during the process. That is what Jake Fischer reported would be the strategy for freeing up the means to pay Kuminga.
Cutting loose Vanderbilt's $12.4 million contract, along with any additional outgoing players, could certainly allow Los Angeles a pathway to satisfying both themselves and their free agent target. Granted, it will naturally put added strain on their draft capital.
If the Lakers are sold on the idea of molding Kuminga into a player who can help them moving forward, his addition should eventually end up being the last major move of the offseason. Given all the connections in the rumor mill, it just feels like a matter of when.
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