The Los Angeles Lakers are exploring a complicated four-team sign-and-trade that would bring free-agent forward Jonathan Kuminga to Los Angeles, addressing a thin power forward rotation as the franchise rebuilds around All-Star Luka Doncic, according to Bleacher Report. The Lakers moved on from LeBron James this offseason, with James now set to play for the Philadelphia 76ers, leaving Los Angeles searching for frontcourt depth and a reliable starter at the four.
The problem for the Lakers is straightforward: they have already used their available spending tools and have no direct path to sign Kuminga outright. Instead, any deal depends on the Atlanta Hawks, who currently hold Kuminga's rights, agreeing to route him to Los Angeles via sign-and-trade, and on Kuminga himself signing off on the destination, Bleacher Report reported.
Kuminga, 23, became a free agent after the Hawks declined his team option for the 2026-27 season, according to NESN. He was originally drafted No. 7 overall in 2021 and spent most of his career with the Golden State Warriors before a brief stint in Atlanta, starting 97 games for the Warriors and one for the Hawks. Through five NBA seasons, he is averaging 12.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 0.6 steals per game while shooting 50.2 percent from the field and 33.2 percent from three-point range, per NESN's figures. Last season specifically, Kuminga posted 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, according to Yahoo Sports.
The Hawks' Complication
Atlanta's hesitation centers on money. The Hawks have not paid luxury tax since the 2011-12 season, before current governor Tony Ressler bought the franchise, and Bleacher Report noted the team already has 17 players under contract while sitting just $4.1 million below the tax line. Atlanta has also been active elsewhere, acquiring defensive wing Lu Dort and guard Aaron Wiggins from the Oklahoma City Thunder along with guard Devin Carter from the Sacramento Kings, further crowding its roster.
Rather than re-sign Kuminga itself, Atlanta appears more willing to move him for a first-round pick swap and additional draft compensation, according to Bleacher Report's reporting. Under the specific four-team framework outlined by the outlet, the Hawks would receive a 2027 Knicks second-round pick via the Nets, a 2032 first-round pick swap and 2032 second-rounder from the Lakers, and an $18 million trade exception tied to Kuminga's outgoing salary.
Why Chicago and Brooklyn Get Involved
Because Atlanta wants no part of taking back Lakers salary, Los Angeles needs other teams willing to absorb its outgoing pieces. That is where the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets come in, according to Bleacher Report's proposed structure. The Bulls would receive Lakers forward Dalton Knecht along with $2 million in cash, using their room mid-level exception flexibility to take on the No. 17 pick from 2024. The Nets, meanwhile, would take on guard Jaden Hardy from the Lakers, forward Mouhamed Gueye from Atlanta (who is currently out with a foot injury), a 2027 second-round pick, a 2031 second-rounder from the Bulls, a 2033 Wizards second-rounder from the Lakers, and additional cash.
Bleacher Report noted the Lakers could also substitute forward Jake LaRavia for Hardy in the deal, since both are set to earn roughly $6 million this season, giving Los Angeles some flexibility in how it assembles the final package.
The move would trim the Lakers from 16 guaranteed contracts down to 15, solving a roster-limit problem while leaving Los Angeles with a single remaining 2033 second-round pick and about $2.5 million in cash for future trade use, according to Bleacher Report and Yahoo Sports, both of which detailed nearly identical versions of the framework.
What Kuminga Would Actually Do on the Floor
Beyond the mechanics, the basketball case for Kuminga hinges on how the Lakers deploy him alongside Doncic, who averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game last season, per Yahoo Sports. Kuminga is not being brought in to create offense on his own. Instead, Yahoo Sports described his value as coming from force around the rim, transition speed after misses, and the potential to defend bigger wings without needing constant help.
His inconsistent outside shot remains the central concern. Yahoo Sports noted that defenses are likely to leave Kuminga open first whenever Doncic calls for a screen, meaning the Lakers would need to use him deliberately as a screener and dunker-spot threat rather than asking him to space the floor from distance. If Los Angeles fails to define that role clearly, his athletic tools alone may not be enough to keep driving lanes open for Doncic.
Under the proposed contract terms reported by both Bleacher Report and Yahoo Sports, Kuminga would sign a four-year, $77.4 million deal with a player option on the final season. NBA rules require a sign-and-trade contract to run at least three seasons, so the extra year functions as a form of insurance for the Lakers. Kuminga has reportedly sought a deal north of $20 million annually, but the Lakers' hard cap tied to the first tax apron limits what they can offer. NESN cited Bleacher Report's Dan Favale, who wrote that Kuminga's reported asking price of $14 million to $16 million per year
