Jonathan Kuminga is still sitting on the free agent market, and it’s starting to feel like a staring contest. He wants a big number. The teams that want him might not be willing to match it. And the whole thing could end up being a complicated sign-and-trade puzzle that needs a third team to solve.
NBA insider Jake Fischer dropped the latest on Kuminga’s asking price during a Bleacher Report livestream, and the news isn’t great if you’re hoping to see him in Laker purple anytime soon.
Fischer said Kuminga is looking for something north of the $25 million range he got last year from Golden State. The problem? The market just isn’t there for him right now.
“I do believe that Kuminga is looking for something more than that $25 million ballpark that he landed last year from Golden State,” Fischer said. “Quite frankly, I find it difficult to imagine he’s going to find that number on this marketplace.”
That’s a tough spot for a 23-year-old scorer who’s still trying to prove he’s more than just a high-energy bench piece. He averaged 16.1 points and 4.8 rebounds last season, but he shot just 33.1 percent from three and his defensive impact has been inconsistent. Teams love the athleticism. They’re just not sure about the price tag.
The good news is Kuminga is reportedly open to taking less money if the contract structure works for him. That’s where the Lakers come back into the picture.
Los Angeles has been the team most frequently linked to Kuminga all week. They need wing scoring. They need young legs. But they don’t have cap space, which means any deal for Kuminga would have to be a sign-and-trade. That’s a complicated dance when you’re already tight on assets.
The latest reported framework had the Lakers sending Jared Vanderbilt and a pick swap to the Atlanta Hawks. But Atlanta apparently wants more than that. And it’s not clear what else L.A. can offer without involving a third team.
Fischer noted that Kuminga is aware of the situation and is willing to look at different contract structures below his $22.5 million salary for next season. That suggests he’s ready to play ball, literally and figuratively, if the right sign-and-trade materializes.
“While Kuminga would naturally be hoping for a richer deal than that, I’m told that the 23-year-old scorer is indeed open to various contract structures below his 2025-26 season salary of $22.5 million depending on what sort of sign-and-trade scenarios materialize from known suitors such as the Lakers and Cavaliers,” Fischer wrote.
The Cavs are also in the mix, by the way. They have more cap flexibility than the Lakers and a clearer path to adding Kuminga without needing a third team. But they also have a more crowded rotation, so it’s not a perfect fit either.
Fischer added one more clarifying point: if Kuminga does leave Atlanta, it’s almost certainly going to be through a sign-and-trade. Nobody’s clearing cap space for him outright.
So where does that leave things? Kuminga wants to get paid. The Lakers want to get better. The Hawks want fair compensation. Right now, all three are waiting for someone to blink first. A third team could step in and grease the wheels, but nobody’s sure who that might be.
Until then, Kuminga waits. And so does everyone else.
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