The Los Angeles Lakers‘ pursuit of Jonathan Kuminga has encountered another hurdle after the Atlanta Hawks rejected the trade framework Los Angeles hoped would complete a sign-and-trade for the free-agent forward.
“It’s believed that the Lakers hope to package their lone tradeable first-round pick swap left over in 2032 along with Jarred Vanderbilt in a sign-and-trade proposal for Kuminga,” NBA insider Jake Fischer wrote Friday in The Stein Line. “Sources say Atlanta, however, has not considered taking back Vanderbilt in a deal that sends out Kuminga.”
The latest intel from Fischer adds a new wrinkle to negotiations that have remained active throughout free agency.
The Lakers need Atlanta’s cooperation because they lack the salary-cap flexibility to sign Kuminga outright to the contract both sides envision. Kuminga also stands to benefit from a sign-and-trade, which would allow him to receive a substantially richer contract than Los Angeles can currently offer using its remaining cap flexibility.
Hawks Reject Lakers’ Preferred Trade Structure
Getty Jarred Vanderbilt’s lack of trade value is holding up the Los Angeles Lakers’ sign-and-trade for Jonathan Kuminga.
Fischer’s report builds on negotiations that were already facing resistance from the Lakers’ side.
Earlier this week, California Post reported Atlanta was open to a sign-and-trade framework centered on Jarred Vanderbilt and the Lakers’ 2032 first-round pick swap — the only remaining first-round asset Los Angeles can trade this offseason.
But Buha’s Block Lakers insider Jovan Buha later reported that the organization has been reluctant to part with that draft asset.
“I have heard the Lakers are reluctant to give up that swap and are reluctant to give up that swap in that specific deal,” Buha said on his podcast.
Fischer’s latest report reveals another obstacle.
Even if the Lakers ultimately become willing to include the 2032 swap, Atlanta has little interest in taking back Vanderbilt’s contract.
The result is a negotiation in which each side has pushed back against a key component of the proposed framework, leaving president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka searching for another path to complete a deal.
Three-Team Trade Could Unlock Kuminga Deal
Fischer reported there remains a potential solution.
“There are said to be multi-team scenarios that the Lakers could pursue that offload Vanderbilt to a different team than Atlanta,” Fischer wrote. “That would help the Lakers provide Kuminga with an offer richer than the two-year, $20 million deal that sources say they originally presented him.”
A third team could solve multiple problems simultaneously.
Moving Vanderbilt elsewhere would eliminate Atlanta’s biggest objection while allowing the Lakers to improve their financial offer to Kuminga.
Fischer also wrote that Kuminga and his agent, Aaron Turner, president of Verus Management Team, have maintained ongoing dialogue with the Lakers regarding a potential role alongside Luka Dončić, underscoring that mutual interest remains despite the increasingly complicated negotiations.
Fischer added that if Kuminga changes teams this offseason, it will “almost certainly” happen through a sign-and-trade rather than through available cap space.
Why the Lakers Continue Pursuing a Sign-and-Trade
The Lakers’ cap situation explains why Pelinka has continued exploring trade scenarios instead of attempting to sign Kuminga outright.
The Lakers’ aggressive roster overhaul following LeBron James‘ departure — acquiring Walker Kessler via sign-and-trade while adding Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Sexton in free agency — quickly exhausted the roughly $52 million in salary-cap space they entered the offseason with.
Los Angeles later opened about $2.1 million in cap room by trading Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards for Jaden Hardy and two future second-round picks. But nearly all of that flexibility vanished once the Lakers agreed to a one-year veteran minimum deal with Kevon Looney, whose contract still carries a cap charge.
The Lakers now have one open roster spot but little meaningful financial flexibility.
Pelinka has remained in contact with Turner throughout the process, according to Price, while the Lakers increased their offer to Kuminga to an average annual salary of roughly $10 million.
That figure falls well short of the contract Kuminga is believed to be seeking, making Atlanta’s cooperation essential if Los Angeles hopes to acquire one of its top remaining offseason targets.
With the Hawks unwilling to absorb Vanderbilt and the Lakers hesitant to part with their lone tradable first-round asset, Pelinka’s biggest challenge is no longer recruiting Kuminga. It is constructing a deal that gives Atlanta enough value while creating a contract that works for both the Lakers and Kuminga.
Lakers Learn Hawks’ Stance on Jonathan Kuminga Sign-and-Trade Framework