The Los Angeles Lakers are in pursuit of free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga, but Iman Shumpert’s latest remarks appear to hint toward one outcome.
On the Shump Street podcast, NBA insider Shams Charania discussed NBA free agency with the former player.
The conversation turned toward the Lakers, where Shumpert mistakenly said the team had already inked a deal with Kuminga.
“I thought Kuminga went to LA?” Shumpert said.
Charania promptly replied: “That’s not done yet.”
The Lakers entered the free agency period with over $52 million in cap space, but quickly lost financial flexibility after signing Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, Kevon Looney and Quentin Grimes.
Now, general manager Rob Pelinka is working to add Kuminga as the missing piece on the roster. But that task is a difficult one given the 23-year-old is seeking a more lucrative deal than the current Lakers offer on the table.
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The Lakers have reportedly offered Kuminga a deal where he earns $10 million annually. The team has pitched a star-studded role for Kuminga as a starting wing alongside Luka Doncic, but the current deal would leave the forward earning less than Mamukelashvili and Grimes, who are set to earn $13 million annually.
One of the two players is set to be a bench player.
And thus, Kuminga wants to earn more before joining the Lakers in Tinseltown.
The Lakers have limited avenues to acquire Kuminga, but the Atlanta Hawks are open to a potential sign-and-trade with LA. The California Post’s Khobi Price reports the Hawks are willing to send Kuminga to the Lakers in exchange for Jarred Vanderbilt and the Lakers’ 2032 first-round pick swap.
After an active first 48 hours in free agency, the Lakers have since made little noise on the market. While Pelinka’s challenge is to find a creative way to sign Kuminga, it’s evident the Lakers roster remains incomplete as it stands.
