The Jonathan Kuminga to Los Angeles saga is dragging into its most annoying phase yet: the phase where nothing is happening.
According to reports out of ClutchPoints and HoopsHype on July 20, the Lakers and Atlanta Hawks are far apart in sign-and-trade discussions for the 23-year-old forward. The Hawks want a real haul. The Lakers are not budging on draft capital. Kuminga’s camp is asking for more money than L.A. wants to guarantee. Everybody is stuck.
Kuminga became an unrestricted free agent earlier this month after the Hawks declined his $24.3 million team option. That was supposed to open the door for a quick landing in a bigger market. Instead, his market has been shockingly quiet.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are lurking as a potential second suitor. Nobody has actually made a real push.
Here is the truth Lakers fans do not want to hear. If the Hawks stay firm and the Lakers stay firm, this deal dies. And Kuminga becomes a very awkward free agent looking for a two-year contract at a price nobody wants to pay.
The Lakers front office has clearly learned something from the Rob Pelinka era. They are not gutting the roster for a good-not-great starter. Kuminga is a fun swing at 23, but he is also a 46 percent shooter with real questions about fit next to Luka Doncic and whoever plays the five.
The other factor sitting on top of all of this is LeBron James. LeBron has not announced his next team yet. Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, would love to know where LeBron lands before locking his client in anywhere. If LeBron goes to Miami or Cleveland, the Lakers roster construction changes overnight, and Kuminga becomes a much cleaner target.
For now, the Lakers are playing it patient. That is smart. Kuminga’s market is not what he thought it would be back in March, and every week that passes with no offer sheet makes L.A.’s leverage stronger.
Do not be surprised if this ends with Kuminga signing a one-plus-one deal with the Lakers on their terms sometime in early August. The Hawks want a first-round pick. They are not getting one for a guy who cannot shoot.
Rob Pelinka does not need to make a headline right now. He needs to make a good team. Sitting on his hands might be the smartest move he makes all summer.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
