Lakers Need a Wing. Jonathan Kuminga Is Available. Here’s Who Else Wants Him.

The Los Angeles Lakers just had one of the wildest weeks in recent NBA memory. They lost LeBron James. Then they flipped draft picks into Walker Kessler, signed three free agents in a flash, and reportedly made Luka Doncic happy about the direction of the team. But the front office isn’t done yet.

According to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, the Lakers are still trying to figure out a way to add Jonathan Kuminga. The 22-year-old forward is an unrestricted free agent after spending four seasons with Golden State. He’s athletic, he can guard multiple positions, and he’s exactly the kind of two-way wing that fits next to Doncic.

There’s one problem. The Lakers are up against serious salary cap constraints. They just spent big to acquire Kessler and sign Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, and Collin Sexton. They also brought back Austin Reaves. So how do they add Kuminga? That’s the question nobody has answered yet.

Stein and Fischer report that Los Angeles is still looking for a pathway. But the Lakers aren’t the only team in this race.

Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Atlanta Are in the Mix

The same report lists three other teams with interest. The Atlanta Hawks haven’t ruled out bringing Kuminga back. The Cleveland Cavaliers are a natural fit given that Kenny Atkinson, who coached Kuminga in Golden State, is now their head coach. A sign-and-trade would probably be the only way Cleveland gets there.

Then there’s Milwaukee. The Bucks just pulled off a monster deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo and now have multiple trade exceptions to work with. Those exceptions give them flexibility that L.A. just doesn’t have right now.

Stein later posted on X that the Lakers “continue to explore the feasibility of adding Jonathan Kuminga to fill a wing need.” He also confirmed that Cleveland and Milwaukee have expressed interest, and that a return to Atlanta is still possible.

What Kuminga Would Bring to Any Team

Kuminga is still young enough that his best basketball might be ahead of him. He averaged 13.4 points and 4.3 rebounds last season while shooting 53 percent from the floor. He’s not a consistent three-point shooter yet, but he gets to the rim and plays with real defensive energy. For a Lakers team that just lost James and needs perimeter help, Kuminga would be a sensible bet on upside.

The question is whether L.A. can find a creative enough structure to make the numbers work. The team has not confirmed anything publicly. And with the Cavs and Bucks both lurking, the Lakers might need to get creative fast.