Jonathan Kuminga has been on the Los Angeles Lakers' radar. He can be the final main finishing touch on the team's roster reconstruction, but as Dan Woike of The Athletic reported on Monday, the two sides aren't aligned on the wing's value (subscription required), stalling momentum.
The Athletic has reported on the Lakers’ interest in free agent Jonathan Kuminga since late June, but it appears that momentum has stalled with the sides far apart on terms and L.A. not overly motivated to push significant draft capital into sign-and-trade scenarios.
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line recently said that he believes Kuminga is searching for a deal that is worth more than $25 million annually. When you compare that to the two-year, $20 million contract the Lakers were reportedly willing to give him, it's not hard to see why the sides are far apart: LA doesn't value him in that way.
While Los Angeles and Kuminga can always bridge the gap, the front office doesn't need to give him the kind of deal he is seeking, at least not in the $25+ million range. He might be the best available option for the Lakers on the wing, but for the most part, he's still unproven.
He has a chance to thrive in LA and become the kind of player he thought he could be in Golden State, but the team doesn't need to pay him as if he already is.
Lakers can't get aggressive in Kuminga pursuit
There is a reason Kuminga is still on the market as we near the end of July, nearly three weeks into free agency. Inconsistency has been a theme of his five-year career, though the way the Warriors handled their time with him did him no favors. At 23, there is still plenty of time for him to change the narrative.
Los Angeles sees something in Kuminga for a reason. His athleticism and defense are enough to justify him being a target, but his shooting leaves a lot to be desired. He's a career 33.2% shooter from deep. Between the Warriors and Hawks last season, he shot 33.3% from three. He fits only half of the 3-and-D archetype the Lakers are looking for.
It makes perfect sense for LA not to cave in and meet whatever exact price Kuminga is looking for, and even more so for the front office to be hesitant about losing additional draft capital in a sign-and-trade after what it gave up for Walker Kessler.
The Lakers have to walk a fine line between playing it safe and maintaining their interest in him until he's off the market. If Kuminga's camp is willing to spin it back and reopen discussions with Los Angeles, then great, but if not, it could be the wing who ends up regretting it, not LA.
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