Lakers Continue Pursuing Jonathan Kuminga as Free Agency Drags Into Late July

Lakers persist in pursuit of Kuminga

The Los Angeles Lakers have not stepped away from unrestricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, even after filling out their roster elsewhere. On a segment during Thursday's episode of ESPN's "NBA Today," reporter Anthony Slater stated that the Lakers "keep calling" Kuminga's camp, framing the outreach as coming from Rob Pelinka's front office. Per Slater, the Lakers have "not made a lucrative enough offer for Kuminga to jump," but part of their pitch has centered on a potential starting role on the wing. Slater read the continued contact as a signal the franchise "still don't want to be done making moves" and views the wing position as a weak spot even after recent additions.

Failed sign-and-trade with the Hawks

A two-year deal worth roughly $20 million was floated in sign-and-trade talks with Atlanta earlier in July, but those discussions collapsed. The Lakers reportedly wanted to send Jared Vanderbilt to Atlanta, yet the Hawks declined because they did not want his $13.3 million salary on the books for 2027-28. Brian Windhorst outlined on ESPN's "The Hoop Collective" that Atlanta already carries 17 players on guaranteed contracts, leaving no obvious way to take Kuminga back. Bobby Marks added that the window effectively closed when the Lakers traded DeAndre Ayton to Washington, after which Atlanta made other additions and moved to within $4.1 million of the luxury tax.

Lakers add wing depth while waiting

Even with their roster now described as full, the Lakers have continued to bolster the wing group. They reportedly signed Matisse Thybulle and officially brought in Ziaire Williams, while Adou Thiero remains another option on the perimeter. Per Slater, the additions help but do not fully solve what the front office still sees as a wing weakness, leaving the door open for Kuminga if a deal can be reached.

LeBron James decision looms over the market

Kuminga's free agency has been tied closely to LeBron James's unresolved future in Los Angeles. Slater noted that "the LeBron domino affects Kuminga and what he may or may not be able to get," and several teams around the league are reportedly waiting on LeBron's choice before finalizing their own plans. Kuminga's camp has little reason to rush, with the assumption that once LeBron's situation is settled he can better gauge how much money remains available from interested clubs.

Other suitors and a tightening market

The Clippers and Bucks have also been tied to Kuminga this offseason, while Cleveland is described as a wildcard if LeBron does not return to the Cavaliers. According to Jake Fischer, Kuminga's camp is hopeful Cleveland could jump in with a sign-and-trade offer above the $15 million mid-level exception, though that path is complicated by the Cavaliers sitting close to the second apron. Marks noted that 23 of the NBA's 30 teams are effectively hard-capped at this stage of the summer, sharply limiting the field for Kuminga, whose own asking price has reportedly slid from near $25 million annually earlier in free agency toward the lower $20 million range.

Follow-up signals

The next verifiable milestone is the resolution of LeBron James's free agency decision, which multiple reports indicate will directly shape Kuminga's market and the Lakers' ability to finalize a deal. Any movement on a sign-and-trade with Cleveland or another club would likely follow that announcement, with Kuminga otherwise positioned to wait out the remaining hard-capped teams.