The Los Angeles Lakers spent part of the offseason searching for an athletic forward who could attack the rim alongside Luka Dončić.
They pursued Jonathan Kuminga and lost him to Minnesota.
Now another player with a similar downhill-scoring profile has landed with a Western Conference rival for considerably less.
Cam Whitmore agreed to a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, giving Denver a low-cost opportunity to evaluate the former first-round pick without committing a standard roster spot.
For the Lakers, Whitmore looks like a missed opportunity — particularly considering both their need at power forward and the players occupying their current two-way slots.
Cam Whitmore Offered Lakers a Cheaper Version of Kuminga Gamble
Los Angeles’ interest in Kuminga made sense.
The explosive forward can overpower smaller defenders, run the floor and attack closeouts, qualities that would have given Dončić another athletic target around the basket. But Kuminga ultimately signed with Minnesota, leaving the Lakers without the player they had pursued.
Whitmore is not Kuminga. He has not established himself at the same level and still must improve his decision-making and defense.
The similarities in their physical profiles, however, are difficult to miss.
Whitmore, 22, is a powerful 6-foot-6 wing who has already demonstrated an ability to score downhill against NBA defenders. The No. 20 pick in the 2023 draft has averaged 10.5 points in only 17.3 minutes per game across his NBA career.
After missing on Kuminga, taking a virtually risk-free look at Whitmore would have fit the same roster philosophy.
Whitmore Has More NBA Upside Than L.A.’s Current Two-Way Options
The Lakers currently have Arthur Kaluma, Chris Mañon and AK Okereke occupying their three two-way slots. Kaluma is the most compelling of the group after earning his deal with a strong Summer League, while Mañon brings perimeter defense and Okereke offers size and developmental upside. But none has Whitmore’s combination of NBA experience, age and proven scoring production.
Whitmore already has something none of those players can claim: meaningful evidence that he can generate offense against NBA competition.
That does not automatically make him a better long-term prospect. But for a Lakers team built to contend now, his combination of age, experience and athletic scoring would have presented a more immediate evaluation opportunity.
He also could have filled minutes at power forward, where Los Angeles could use another athletic option.
Lakers Could Have Auditioned Whitmore for Playoff Roster
The beauty of a two-way contract is the lack of meaningful downside.
Los Angeles could have played Whitmore selectively during the regular season, tested how his athleticism meshed with Dončić and Austin Reaves and determined whether his weaknesses could be managed inside a veteran rotation.
Two-way players can appear in up to 50 NBA games but cannot play in the postseason unless their contracts are converted to standard deals.
That would have created a natural audition.
If Whitmore struggled, the Lakers could move on.
If he flashed, they could have considered converting him before the playoffs and adding an explosive young forward to their postseason roster.
Instead, Denver gets that experiment.
For a Lakers team that chased Kuminga and still needs athleticism at power forward, Whitmore was the type of inexpensive upside swing worth taking.
The Nuggets took it first.
Lakers Miss Out on Explosive Forward After Losing Jonathan Kuminga