The Lakers keep calling. Jonathan Kuminga keeps not answering.
Reports this week confirm Los Angeles has made a real pitch for the 23-year-old forward, offering a sign-and-trade framework that would pay Kuminga somewhere in the $45 million range. The Lakers are willing to send Jarred Vanderbilt plus draft capital to a third team to make the math work.
Kuminga has not accepted. He wants more.
What Kuminga Actually Wants
The number floating around Kuminga’s camp is north of $20 million per year on a new deal. That is aggressive for a player who has never averaged 17 points a game and whose defense still comes and goes depending on the night.
But you can see the argument. Kuminga is 23. He has a real NBA body, a real motor, and real bounce. In flashes, he looks like a guy who could be a 20-and-8 wing in his prime. Someone is going to pay for that upside.
The question is whether the Lakers actually want to be the ones paying it.
Why Kuminga Fits the Lakers
Los Angeles needs athletic wings who can defend multiple positions and finish above the rim. Kuminga is exactly that profile. He would give LeBron the kind of downhill running mate the Lakers have not had since Anthony Davis was healthy.
He would also give the Lakers a young player they can develop around Luka Doncic long term. That matters. The Lakers are trying to thread the needle between winning now with LeBron and building something after LeBron. Kuminga sits right at that intersection.
Why the Warriors Have Made This Weird
Golden State has treated Kuminga’s contract standoff like a hostage negotiation. They matched every offer that came in during the restricted market. They kept him around because losing him for nothing would be a real problem for their roster construction.
But Steve Kerr also does not play Kuminga the way Kuminga wants to be played. That has been the story for two years. Kuminga wants shot volume and defensive assignments that match his upside. Kerr wants shooters and veterans.
That relationship was always going to end. The only question was when and where.
The Cavaliers Are Right There Too
Cleveland has also emerged as a finalist in the Kuminga sweepstakes. That makes sense. The Cavs have young pieces and cap flexibility, and Kuminga would slot in as a defensive-minded wing next to Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland.
The Cavs might actually be the smarter fit basketball-wise. Kuminga would get real developmental runway there. In LA, he would be asked to be a role player on a LeBron-Luka team from day one.
What Kuminga Is Actually Worth
Somewhere between $18 million and $22 million a year. The Lakers pitch at roughly $45 million total falls short of what Kuminga is looking for, and honestly, they should not go higher.
Kuminga is a bet on upside. You do not overpay for bets. If Golden State is willing to match again, let them, and pivot to a cheaper defensive wing who fits your timeline.
But the Lakers keep calling. That tells you they think this is the guy who takes them over the top. Rob Pelinka has bet wrong before.
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.
