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After making a flurry of signings early in free agency, the Lakers appear to be fully focused on Jonathan Kuminga as their next target.
Since the Hawks declined his team option to make Kuminga an unrestricted free agent, the Lakers have been linked to the five-year wing. Now that Rui Hachimura has joined the Clippers, the Lakers are even more in need of Kuminga’s services and continue to talk with his representation.
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On Tuesday, Anthony Slater of ESPN reported that the Lakers met with Kuminga early in free agency but haven’t yet made an offer that’s convinced him that LA should be his new basketball home.
The Los Angeles Lakers continue to actively pursue unrestricted free agent wing Jonathan Kuminga, but they have not yet given him an enticing enough offer to commit, league sources told ESPN on Tuesday.
After his $24.3 million team option was declined by the Atlanta Hawks on June 29, Kuminga met virtually the next day with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick, who pitched him on a vision of being a high-minutes wing next to Luka Doncic in a spacious on-court environment conducive to his skill set, league sources told ESPN.
With how fast free agency moves, the Lakers couldn’t sit around and wait on Kuminga.
They’ve made multiple moves since that first conversation, including trading for Walker Kessler and adding Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili.
Slater also reported in the piece that the Lakers are continuing to talk to Kuminga’s agent and have made it known he will likely start if he signs.
Pelinka has remained in touch with Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, subtly improving their offer in recent days, league sources told ESPN, while reiterating to Kuminga his importance to what the Lakers are building around Doncic, a likely starting role and what the opportunity could do for his career.
The fact that they’ve spoken with his agent again and improved their offer indicates they remain very interested in bringing him on. This deep into free agency, one could easily argue that Kuminga is the best wing available. With the Lakers focused on win-now moves, grabbing a…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/lakers-met-jonathan-kuminga-offer-210931802.html
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Publish date : 2026-07-07 21:09:00
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