Add The California Post on Google SAN FRANCISCO — As the holiday weekend came to a close and Monday arrived, the NBA reached a critical part of its calendar.
Teams were able to start signing free agents to contracts and complete trades as of 9:01 a.m. PT, turning agreements from over the previous six days of free agency into official deals.
But for the Lakers, critical holes in their roster remain evident.
They’re in need of a backup center behind Walker Kessler after trading Deandre Ayton to the Wizards for Jaden Hardy and a pair of Washington’s second-round draft picks. They need to add more proven talent and depth on the wings/forwards positions after losing five of their biggest players during free agency.
The Lakers were already focused on the latter need over the last few days, with the hole on the wing becoming more glaring on Monday morning when Rui Hachimura agreed to a two-year, $28 million deal with the Clippers that’ll keep him in L.A.
And now what should be the Lakers’ next step is clear: They must add Jonathan Kuminga to their roster to make this offseason roster reconstruction a definitive success.
The Lakers’ offseason is already a success after nailing their two biggest priorities by re-signing Austin Reaves (four years, $185 million) and completing a sign and trade with the Jazz for Kessler (four years, $130 million), which locked in two franchise cornerstones on long-term deals alongside superstar guard Luka Doncic.
The additions of Quentin Grimes (four years, $60 million), who should start, Sandro Mamukelashvili (four years, $52 million) and Collin Sexton (two years, $19 million) are quality rotation additions who should add youth and versatility to the Lakers’ bench.
But for the Lakers’ makeover to truly be complete, it needs Kuminga, who’s been a significant priority of the team’s free agency plans.
At 6-foot-7, 225 pounds and 23 years old (turns 24 in October), Kuminga is just what the Lakers need from physical profile, youth and athleticism standpoints around Doncic and Reaves.
His talent has been evident since the Warriors selected him with the No. 7 pick in the 2021 draft, even with the disconnect between him and the Warriors during the latter part his tenure in Golden State about his role before he was traded to the Hawks in February.
Kuminga was in the rotation for the Warriors’ 2021-22 championship team and took on a more significant role by his third season, averaging a career-high 16.1 points (52.9% shooting) to go with 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 2023-24.
He has regular season averages of 12.5 points and 4.2 rebounds for his career, averaging at least 12 points per game in every season since 2023.
Kuminga is far from a perfect fit for the Lakers.
He’s a career 33.2% 3-point shooter on low volume (2.4 attempts per game). He’s been inefficient when it comes to creating his own shot and off-ball chances since entering the league.
But among the realistic choices in free agency, he’s the only one who would be a credible starter for the Lakers entering the 2026-27.
Kuminga would add defensive versatility becasue he can credibly guard 1-4 thanks to his athleticism, quickness and length. Throughout his career, he’s been tasked with guarding a top offensive option, which the defensively-depleted Lakers would need from him.
He wouldn’t provide the Lakers with the shooting and spacing they benfitted from with Hachimura, who shot 41.5% on 3s during his 3 ½ seasons with the Lakers, including 44.3% (league’s fifth-best mark) in 2025-26.
But Kuminga is a better rebounder, finisher, perimeter defender and help defender than Hachimura.
And at 4 ½ years younger and two fewer seasons of NBA experience, Kuminga has more room to grow and potential to fufill compared to Hachimura. Kuminga’s shown growth as a passer over the last few years.
Kuminga, who reportedly also has interest from the Bucks, Cavaliers and Hawks (re-signing or sign-and-trade) isn’t the Lakers’ only option to address the need on the wings who’d fit the team.
Ziaire Williams, who’s coming off a career-year with the Nets, is a player the Lakers eyed after the Nets declined Williams’ $6.3 million team option to make him an unrestricted free agent.
Bruce Brown, Matisse Thybulle and Ochai Agbaji are other unrestricted free agents still available.
But none of them have Kuminga’s talent. Or upsides. Or fill multiple needs like he does.
