The Los Angeles Lakers have spent the offseason waiting for Jonathan Kuminga’s market to come to them.
One NBA insider believes that patience will eventually pay off.
ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel predicted Thursday that Kuminga will land with the Lakers, even as Cleveland remains involved and the former lottery pick continues pushing for a larger contract.
“There’s two teams right now: It is the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers,” Siegel said on the Clutch Scoops livestream. “I personally believe that he’s going to end up with the Lakers in some kind of deal.”
How that deal would come together remains the larger question.
Siegel said the Lakers have offered Kuminga a two-year contract worth $20 million. A sign-and-trade could potentially increase his salary, but that route would require Los Angeles, Kuminga and the Atlanta Hawks to agree on several moving parts.
Kuminga, 23, is seeking an annual salary in the $14 million to $16 million range, according to Siegel. He does not want to settle for less than the midlevel exception and appears willing to drag his free agency into August while waiting for a stronger offer.
The Lakers have shown no urgency to bid against themselves.
Lakers Remain Kuminga’s Best Basketball Fit
GettyJonathan Kuminga’s best fit is next to Luka Dončić with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel.
Siegel’s prediction goes beyond the money.
He views Los Angeles as the clearest opportunity for Kuminga to rebuild his value, earn a starting role and showcase the skills that once made him one of the NBA’s more intriguing young forwards.
“I still think that the Lakers are the best fit for him to maximize his future, especially since he’d probably start there,” Siegel said.
The fit is easy to see.
Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves would handle much of the Lakers’ creation, allowing Kuminga to attack as a cutter, transition finisher and slasher instead of asking him to manufacture offense from a standstill. His size and athleticism would also address a need on the wing following LeBron James’ departure for Philadelphia.
Siegel described Los Angeles as “really the best spot for him to show what type of talent he can be in this league.”
That aligns with NBA insider Jake Fischer’s recent reporting in The Stein Line. Fischer wrote that the Lakers still want Kuminga as their starting small forward, provided he accepts a contract built on the organization’s terms.
The interest is real. So is the divide.
Contract Demands Continue to Stall Deal
The Lakers want flexibility around a roster now centered on Dončić. Kuminga wants security — and compensation that reflects what he believes his upside is worth.
Those goals have yet to meet.
A two-year agreement would give Kuminga another chance to reach free agency quickly, but Siegel indicated that the $20 million offer falls well below his preferred annual range. A sign-and-trade could solve the salary problem, though it would create other complications because league rules require a longer contract and Atlanta would need sufficient incentive to participate.
Cleveland remains the Lakers’ most serious competition. Siegel also raised the possibility of the Clippers resurfacing if their other wing pursuits fail, including potential moves involving Peyton Watson or Bennedict Mathurin.
For now, Kuminga can continue waiting. The Lakers can, too.
Los Angeles has made its position clear throughout the offseason. It sees Kuminga as a potential starter, not a player worth sacrificing its long-term plan to acquire.
Siegel nevertheless believes the basketball opportunity will eventually pull Kuminga toward the Lakers.
“I lean toward Los Angeles,” he said. “We’ll wait and see how that situation plays out.”
Lakers Get Promising Jonathan Kuminga Free Agency Prediction