Add The California Post on Google After a two-month long pursuit, the Lakers’ quest in adding Jonathan Kuminga to their roster came to a halt this week, leaving them empty-handed for one of their biggest needs.
With Kuminga agreeing to a two-year, $12.4 million contract ($6.4 million player option for 2027-28) with the Timberwolves on Wednesday, the Lakers came up short in addressing their desire for an athletic, two-way wing.
They also missed out on the player who would’ve slid into the starting lineup alongside superstar guard Luka Doncic, star guard Austin Reaves, marquee free agent acquisition Walker Kessler and presumed starter Quentin Grimes, who signed a four-year, $60 million deal with the Lakers during the onset of free agency.
With this chapter now closed – at least for now – and with about a month until training camp, there are two clear questions: Why did Kuminga choose the Timberwolves over the Lakers despite the latter team’s ability to pay the 23-year-old forward a higher salary?
The answer to the first question is clearer.
As the California Post reported in early July, Lakers president of basketball operations/general manager Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick met with Kuminga after free agency started in late June. That happened after the Hawks declined Kuminga’s $24.3 million team option for 2026-27 on June 29.
A part of the Lakers’ free-agency pitch to Kuminga, a source told the California Post, was the Lakers seeing Kuminga as a starting wing who would complete the vision of their roster reconstruction around Doncic.
The initial offers from the Lakers weren’t appealing enough for Kuminga’s side, with the Lakers increasing their offer to two years, $20 million by mid-July.
But if Kuminga were to join the Lakers, they would’ve preferred the acquisition happen via a sign-and-trade involving the Hawks so Kuminga could receive a higher salary.
By the time mid-July rolled around, after the Lakers officially exceeded the salary cap with all of their signings, a sign-and-trade was the only realistic path for the Lakers to acquire talented youngster.
The Lakers explored their sign-and-trade options, and the Hawks were willing to facilitate a deal. The Lakers’ contract offer to Kuminga increased to $12 million-plus annually over three years (contracts via sign-and-trade must be for at least three years without any options).
But Kuminga not only opted for the Timberwolves’ offer of their $6.1 million mid-level exception, but he also chose the route that’ll put him in the position of choice next summer.
If Kuminga has a great 2026-27 season with the Timberwolves, he can decline his player option for 2027-28 and secure a more lucrative contract during the 2027 offseason.
If not, he’ll have $6.4 million guaranteed for him via the player option for 2027-28, and put off potential free agency until the 2028 offseason.
If Kuminga signed with the Lakers, he would’ve received more guaranteed money upfront, but likely wouldn’t have been able to enter free agency again for another few years.
The Timberwolves also strongly recruited Kuminga.
It isn’t clear whether the Lakers, Hawks and Kuminga were able to agree to terms on a sign-and-trade that would’ve appealed to each party.
What is clear is that being able to come back to the negotiating table next summer after a strong season is the way Kuminga’s side hopes this will go.
That was the option presented by the Timberwolves, who are looking to contend with the best of the Western Conference featuring a starting lineup of recently-acquired All-Star guard LaMelo Ball, All-NBA guard Anthony Edwards, four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels and Kuminga.
As for the Lakers, their path forward is not as clear.
Without Kuminga, the answer to who’ll be their fifth starter is likely already on the team. Every other starting-caliber or pseudo starting-caliber wing/forward free agent for a team looking to contend in the playoffs has already been signed.
Those types of players aren’t easy to trade for, and the Lakers lack the draft capital to credibly make a deal.
If they do make any additions to their roster before training camp starts in a month, it’d likely be big man depth behind Kessler and Kevon Looney, who they signed to a veteran’s minimum contract.
They will still need to trim their roster by at least one player by the start of the regular season to become compliant with the league’s rules.
Besides that, most of the Lakers’ major moves are behind them.
