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Jonathan Kuminga 's free agency has dragged deep into the summer, and the Lakers are the team that won't stop calling. Los Angeles reportedly floated a sign-and-trade earlier in July, before the Hawks loaded up on other moves and priced themselves out of the luxury tax cushion needed to make it work.

Rob Pelinka 's front office hasn't landed him yet, but it hasn't walked away either. With LeBron James's future in Los Angeles still unresolved and the wing rotation thin behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, Kuminga remains a name the Lakers keep circling back to, even after filling roster spots elsewhere.


Which teams are interested in Jonathan Kuminga?
The Lakers, Clippers and Bucks have all been tied to Kuminga this offseason. Cleveland is the wildcard. If James doesn't return to the Cavaliers, Kuminga's camp is hopeful Cleveland jumps into the mix with a sign-and-trade offer above the $15 million mid-level exception, according to Jake Fischer. That path is a long shot on its own, since the Cavaliers sit close to the second apron and would need other moves to create the room.


Why the Lakers' sign-and-trade for Kuminga with the Hawks didn't happen
Los Angeles wanted to send Jared Vanderbilt to Atlanta, but the Hawks didn't want his $13.3 million salary on the books for 2027-28. Brian Windhorst laid out the bigger picture on ESPN's "The Hoop Collective" podcast: Atlanta already carries 17 players on guaranteed contracts. He said the Hawks have "17 players on their roster with guaranteed contracts" and no obvious way to take Kuminga back. Bobby Marks added that the real window closed when the Lakers traded DeAndre Ayton to Washington.

Atlanta could have jumped in then. Instead, the Hawks made other additions and moved to within $4.1 million of the luxury tax, closing the door before it was worth a lot more than the minimum exception.


What are insiders saying about the rumors?
Anthony Slater said on ESPN's "NBA Today" that the Lakers "keep calling Jonathan Kuminga", even without a rich enough offer to move him.

“And they believe they’re a little weak on the wing position. Which, I think [Matisse] Thybulle will help. I think Ziaire Williams will help, but they could use some more juice on the wing, and maybe they get Kuminga done. Maybe they don’t. I think the LeBron domino affects Kuminga and what he may or may not be able to get. But, again, all I can tell you is Rob Pelinka keeps calling about Jonathan Kuminga,” Slater added.

Their pitch has centered on a starting role. Slater reads that as a signal the front office still sees an opening for more moves and views the wing spot as a weak point, one that Thybulle and Williams help but don't fully solve.


Contract details and salary cap implications
Kuminga's asking price has slid over the summer. He reportedly opened free agency hoping for close to $25 million a year, then $20 million in later reports. The Lakers' offer matched that lower number: a two-year deal worth roughly $20 million. Around the league, the market has tightened further. Marks noted that 23 of the NBA's 30 teams are effectively hard-capped at this stage of the summer, leaving little room for the kind of offer Kuminga wanted in June.


Why are they chasing Jonathan Kuminga?
For the Lakers, it's need. Losing James and Rui Hachimura stripped the roster of forward depth, and even after adding Thybulle and Williams, the front office wants a bigger, more dynamic option next to Doncic and Reaves. For Cleveland, it's opportunity. A Kuminga sign-and-trade only becomes realistic if James leaves, freeing up the flexibility the Cavaliers currently lack. For the Clippers and Bucks, interest so far has been reported without specific offer details in the available material, worth watching but thinner on record than the Lakers or Cavaliers scenarios.


There's also a patience play. With most of the league already hard-capped, Kuminga has little incentive to rush. He could still wait out James's decision, or take a one-year deal at the minimum somewhere and bet on a stronger market in 2027.


Nothing moves until James decides. Kuminga's camp, the Lakers and a thinning list of suitors are all waiting on the same domino, and Pelinka's front office isn't done dialing.