The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly interested in acquiring free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga. To do so, they'd need to orchestrate a sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks—a move that could ultimately prove costly.
Though Kuminga has intriguing potential, Los Angeles shouldn't be afraid to pivot to a less risky option: Max Strus.
Under the rules of the CBA, the Lakers would only be able to complete a sign-and-trade for Kuminga if they ink him to a three-year deal. Only one season would need to be guaranteed, but Los Angeles also needs to convince Kuminga that he should sign with them.
With a growing list of potential suitors, the odds of convincing Kuminga that he should sign a contract with non-guaranteed money are conceivably low.
Strus, meanwhile, is in the final season of his contract. He has an expiring $16,660,836 salary and a history of success in a 3-and-D role. He missed 70 games in 2025-26, but he did so because he underwent surgery—and then played every postseason game as the Cleveland Cavaliers reached the Conference Finals.
For a Lakers side in need of 3-and-D wings who can play significant minutes and work without the ball, Strus is the low-risk option who could make more sense than Kuminga.
Max Strus is the low-risk option the Lakers should be pursuing
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Cavaliers are, in fact, open to trading Strus. The reason they're looking to do so is simply to create the financial flexibility that they need to make an addition to their roster.
In other words: There is a realistic path for the Lakers to follow to acquiring Strus—a player who has extensive postseason experience and two-way value.
In terms of the logistics of a trade, the Lakers would be able to swap Dalton Knecht and Jake LaRavia for Strus. The money aligns almost perfectly in such a scenario, as Los Angeles would be $1,040,244 under the allowable amount of incoming salary.
The more likely tactic, however, would be for the Lakers to act as the third team in a Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade with the Cavaliers and Hawks.
Max Strus is a 3-and-D veteran who can play big minutes
Regardless of how it transpires, the bottom line is that Strus fits what Los Angeles needs. He's a 6'5" and 215-pound wing who offers three-point shooting, defensive versatility, and the alluring history of playing key roles for an NBA Finalist and three Conference Finalists.
That all adds up to Strus being an ideal fit, particularly when one considers that Strus ranked in the 74th percentile in defensive positional versatility in 2024-25, per Basketball Index.
During that same season, Strus ranked in the 82nd percentile in perimeter isolation defense, the 71st percentile in off-ball chaser defense, and the 69th percentile in ball screen navigation. He also ranked in the 83rd percentile in off-ball gravity and shot 38.6 percent from beyond the arc.
For a Lakers team that needs on-ball defensive specialists and three-point shooters who can stretch the floor, Strus is an excellent potential fit—on an expiring contract that minimizes the risk of acquiring him.
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