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As the Los Angeles Lakers round out the roster this offseason and their financial flexibility dwindles, it doesnt appear the pursuit of free agent wingman Johnathan Kuminga has tapered off one bit.
Shortly after the Lakers inked former Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams to a one-year, $3 million deal on Monday afternoon, Aaron Cohen reported that Kuminga may be waiting for LeBron James free agency decision to choose either to join the Lakers or the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Lakers May Have to Wait for LeBron James Once Again The Cavaliers are believed to be one of the favorites to land James, while the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and Minnesota Timberwolves, among others, have expressed their interest in the four-time NBA champion.
Since near the start of free agency earlier this month, the Lakers have remained heavily linked to Kuminga, especially due to their need to add another wing to provide further frontcourt stability and production.
Kuminga has been on the open market after the Hawks on June 29 declined his $24.3 million team option for next season.
Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick met with the 23-year-old virtually, where they pitched him the game plan of him being a high-minutes player next to Luka Doncic and being able to utilize his skill set effectively in the spacious on-court environment.
Although Los Angeles doesnt have the financial flexibility to give him his desired salary in free agency, the team is reportedly exploring sign-and-trade routes to land him.
The team reportedly presented him with contracts worth around $10 million annually, but Lakers insider Jovan Buha reported on the latest episode of the podcast that Kuminga is looking to make closer to $20 million per season.
Through his first five seasons, much of the conversation around Kuminga has centered on his potential, but that has yet to come to fruition.
He has shown flashes of offensive promise, but it hasnt entirely materialized.
He hasnt played in a significant capacity up to this point, holding a 22.1-minute-per-game career average.
Even after the Golden State Warriors traded him to the Atlanta Hawks last season, he didnt grasp onto a major role, averaging 12.3 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 47.6 percent from the floor and 34.6 percent from beyond the arc in 22.1 minutes per game in 16 appearances with one start.
The Lakers have remained fixated on Kuminga as he remains the only truly viable possible roster addition that could step in effectively as a starter next season.
Time will tell if Los Angeles will be his next landing spot as the latest edition of their revamped roster.
Ryan Ward is an NBA journalist and a credentialed reporter with more than 15 years of experience covering the league and the Los Angeles Lakers.
He has written for ClutchPoints, Lakers Nation, Heavy, Rotowire and EssentiallySports.
Ryan also produces a podcast and video content focused on the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA at large.
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