The Los Angeles Lakers have spent nearly two months lurking around Jonathan Kuminga, hoping a stagnant free-agent market eventually pushes the explosive forward toward them.
One NBA insider believes there is a better basketball fit elsewhere.
ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel named the Minnesota Timberwolves — not the Lakers — as Kuminga’s best fit among the six teams that have shown reported interest in him this offseason. It is a noteworthy assessment considering Siegel has consistently reported Los Angeles’ pursuit of the 23-year-old and still views the Lakers as one of his three most realistic destinations.
“Overall, the Timberwolves would be a great fit for Kuminga since they have a clear need for another dynamic forward next to Jaden McDaniels and can play an uptempo style on offense with LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards pushing the pace,” Siegel wrote. “That is the type of style Kuminga would thrive in.”
For the Lakers, the good news is that identifying Minnesota as the best fit and predicting Kuminga’s destination are two different things.
The Timberwolves have their own financial obstacles to overcome.
Lakers Still Have Clear Path to Jonathan Kuminga
According to Siegel, Los Angeles made its intentions known almost immediately after free agency opened.
The Lakers told Kuminga and his representation they envision him as a “key secondary player” alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Los Angeles even presented an offer worth approximately $10 million annually in early July, but Kuminga held out hoping a stronger market would develop.
It hasn’t.
Atlanta, Cleveland, the Clippers, Milwaukee and Minnesota have all been linked to Kuminga, but none has created a straightforward path to a lucrative contract.
Minnesota can offer only its $6 million taxpayer midlevel exception and would first need to shed salary because of its proximity to the second-apron hard cap, Siegel reported.
Los Angeles could get more creative.
Siegel specifically identified Jarred Vanderbilt’s $12.4 million contract as a potential mechanism the Lakers could use to facilitate a Kuminga move.
That matters because Kuminga’s dwindling alternatives could eventually give Los Angeles leverage it didn’t have in July.
Timberwolves Named Best Fit
GettyAnthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves shakes hands with Jonathan Kuminga.
Minnesota’s appeal isn’t difficult to see.
The Timberwolves are thin at power forward after trading Julius Randle and Naz Reid this offseason. McDaniels is projected to slide from his customary small-forward position to the four, leaving Minnesota searching for additional frontcourt help.
Kuminga would provide size, athleticism and transition scoring for a roster built around Edwards and Ball.
But being the best basketball fit doesn’t make Minnesota the favorite.
Siegel narrowed Kuminga’s likely destinations to Minnesota, Cleveland and Los Angeles. He predicted Cleveland would become the landing spot if the Cavaliers fail to acquire Peyton Watson, while also describing the Lakers as the “obvious choice.”
Cleveland’s pursuit of Watson therefore looms over Los Angeles’ chances. If the Cavaliers land their preferred target, one significant Kuminga competitor could disappear.
The Lakers, meanwhile, have remained patient.
They have been interested since the beginning of free agency. Their original $10 million offer failed to entice Kuminga, but the bigger offers he hoped to find haven’t materialized either.
Now Minnesota has been labeled his best fit.
That distinction might sting Los Angeles.
Whether the Timberwolves can actually afford to make it matter is another question.
Lakers Get Surprising Jonathan Kuminga Update Amid Timberwolves Interest