Why Jonathan Kuminga and the Lakers need each other

In one corner, you have the Lakers, who desperately need an athletic wing. 

In the other?

You have an athletic wing who’s desperate to prove himself. 

The Lakers and Jonathan Kuminga need each other. It would be a symbiotic relationship.

It would infuse the lineup of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler with some explosiveness and speed. And it would give Kuminga a chance to rehabilitate his image after a very public clash with Warriors coach Steve Kerr followed by the Hawks declining to pick up his $24.3 million team option in June.

While Kuminga’s camp rejected the Lakers’ initial two-year, $20 million offer, it behooves both sides to figure something out via a sign-and-trade despite the Lakers’ significant financial constraints. 

After the Lakers overhauled their roster this summer, acquiring nine new players, there are some major holes on the squad. 

The most glaring? The wing position. 

The Lakers’ starting lineup doesn’t have enough speed. Or defensive power from the perimeter. They need a two-way wing. 

Kuminga is the best player on the market who fits that bill. 

And even though Kuminga’s camp is hoping for something more in the ballpark of $20-$25 million annually, it benefits both parties to reach an agreement. 

After Kuminga was selected by the Warriors as the No. 7 pick in the 2021 draft, he wanted to become a star. But the Warriors needed him to star in his role on a veteran-laden team that included Steph Curry and Draymond Green. 

There were times when Kuminga shined, such as when he stepped up in the second round of the 2024 playoffs while Curry was sidelined with an injury, finishing with 30 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks in Game 3 of that series. 

Or when he went 11-for-11 from the field, finishing with 25 points, nine rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots in a two-way masterpiece against the Hawks in January 2024.

But he also struggled with inconsistency. He resented being pigeonholed. And eventually the relationship between him and Kerr soured past the point of no return, leading to him being dealt to the Hawks in February 2026. 

After only playing 16 games for the Hawks while averaging 12.3 points on 47.6 percent shooting, 5.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists, they declined to pick up his team option, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The Lakers and Timberwolves are among his top options. 

The offense wouldn’t run through Kuminga on either of those teams, but he’d have a starting role on the Lakers alongside Doncic, Reaves, Kessler and likely Quentin Grimes. 

It’s unclear if he’d be a starter on the Timberwolves alongside Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert. He could possibly snag that fifth spot, though Ayo Donsunmu could also be in contention for it. 

Kuminga, who’s 23 years old, is going to have to accept a hard truth in the NBA. 

It doesn’t matter what he can do. What matters is what a team wants him to do. 

That’s where an NBA player’s value lies. Not in his abilities.  Not in his potential. But in how he fits on a team. How selfless he is. Whether he’s willing to plug the holes in the way that management sees fit. 

Now’s Kuminga’s chance to prove that he can do that. 

The Lakers need someone who can attack the rim and defend multiple positions. Kuminga’s services wouldn’t be additive, they’d be essential. 

If Kuminga chooses to join the 17-time champion Lakers, he wouldn’t be the team’s star but he’d firmly be in the spotlight. 

Los Angeles is a much bigger market than Minnesota. It would give Kuminga a chance to prove to the world he’s selfless enough to play a role, while also giving him national attention when he shines. 

The Lakers need Kuminga. 

And if he chooses to come to the Lakers, he could begin really making a name for himself. 

He’d be playing on the second-most successful franchise in the NBA. He’d be playing on a team that has worldwide recognition. And he’d be playing on a squad that really needs him. 

While it remains to be seen how this will all play out, one thing is certain. 

The Lakers and Kuminga could both help take each other to the next level.