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Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka during a press conference in June 2024
The Los Angeles Lakers appear to be intensifying their search for a needle-moving wing as the February 5 trade deadline draws closer.
A wide range of names have been linked to Los Angeles in recent weeks, including Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, Keon Ellis, DeAndre Hunter, Miles Bridges, and Andrew Wiggins.
Yet one name continues to resurface, Jonathan Kuminga.
The Golden State Warriors forward has been at odds with head coach Steve Kerr for months, and with tensions lingering, an eventual separation has increasingly felt like a preferred outcome for all sides.
Lakers Interest in Kuminga Meets Immediate Resistance
From a financial standpoint, Kuminga is in the first year of a two-year, $46.8 million contract. He is earning $22.5 million this season, with a $24.3 million team option for the 2026-27 campaign.
Any Lakers proposal would almost certainly be built around expiring money, with contracts such as Rui Hachimura at $18.2 million, Gabe Vincent at $11.5 million, and Maxi Kleber at $11 million forming the foundation of potential salary matching.
According to Forbes’ Evan Sidery, Los Angeles was willing to offer the expiring deals of Vincent and Kleber alongside a 2032 second-round pick, though that package was reportedly turned away by Golden State.
Subsequent reporting from ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel painted an even bleaker picture for Lakers fans, suggesting that talks between the two teams have not progressed beyond surface-level interest.
“Multiple league sources tell ClutchPoints that there are no active, ongoing discussions between the Warriors and Lakers regarding Jonathan Kuminga,” Siegel reported. “The Lakers do hold interest in Kuminga, but the Warriors have made it clear LA has nothing of value to them. There is no offer.”
“Dubs have been actively searching the market for an immediate wing upgrade utilizing Kuminga’s salary spot. Even if the Lakers offered a first, it wouldn’t matter.”
Evaluating the Fit and the Roadblocks
Through 20 games this season, Kuminga is averaging 12.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 45.4% from the field and 32.1% from three-point range.
He recently worked his way back into the rotation following Jimmy Butler’s season-ending torn ACL injury but has since been ruled out for an extended stretch with a bone bruise in his left knee.
Even so, the noise surrounding his future has shown little sign of fading.
From Golden State’s perspective, a deal centered on an out-of-form Vincent, who is averaging just 4.5 points on 32.4% shooting, and fringe rotation minutes from Kleber is unlikely to move the needle for a team attempting to regroup after losing Butler for the season.
A framework involving Hachimura could, in theory, be more appealing. The forward is enjoying the most efficient shooting season of his career, connecting on 43.9% of his three-point attempts while averaging 12.5 points and 3.6 rebounds.
Second-year guard Dalton Knecht, who earns roughly $4 million annually, could also be used as salary filler, though his trade value has reportedly cooled amid a recent dip in form, according to The Athletic’s Dan Woike.
Ultimately, draft capital remains the most significant obstacle. The Lakers currently control just one tradable first-round pick, either in 2031 or 2032.
That limitation is well-known around the league, though there is growing belief that Rob Pelinka is exploring ways to restructure that asset into multiple future selections to expand Los Angeles’ trade flexibility, as reported by Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo! Sports.
If successful, that strategy could widen the Lakers’ options in their pursuit of wing help before the deadline.
For now, however, it appears increasingly unlikely that Jonathan Kuminga will be the answer, with Golden State showing little appetite to engage.
Matt Evans is a sports journalist from the United Kingdom, based in Paris, with over a decade of experience covering the NBA and wider global sport. More about Matt Evans
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