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The long, long wait is over as Jonathan Kuminga has finally made a decision this offseason.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, he will not be coming to Los Angeles. Despite it seemingly being one of the best options available, Kuminga opted not to join the purple and gold, instead signing with Wolves, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
After a flurry of signings early in free agency, things downshifted quickly and drastically as everyone waited on Kuminga. Initially, the blame was put on LeBron James and the wait for his own decision. But weeks passed after LeBron went to Philly, and Kuminga still didn’t make a move.
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The Cavaliers, often mentioned as interested in Kuminga, trading for Peyton Watson closed that door, leaving few remaining. As reported by Charania, along with the Lakers and Wolves, the Bulls and Blazers also were suitors.
Last season, Kuminga averaged 12.2 points per game while playing for both Golden State and Atlanta. His production was roughly equivalent between the two sides, though he was a bit more efficient with the Hawks.
For his career, he averages 12.5 points per game while shooting 33.2% from deep and 50.2% from the field. He also grabs 4.2 rebounds and hands out 1.8 assists per contest.
This leaves the Lakers with work to be done. Kuminga was the best wing option available on the free agent market and filled the need for an athletic forward. At the very least, LA will have to make a trade to shed at least one salary as they have 16 guaranteed contracts.
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Most likely, they will look to consolidate multiple players with draft picks to try to fill the hole on the perimeter. They’ve also been searching the trade market for centers as well, so there’s still work to be done.
But there’s no getting around the fact that the Lakers wanted Kuminga and missed out on him. Whether it was his role on the team, the Lakers being unable to work out a trade or Kuminga wanting another crack at free agency next summer — something he would not have been able to do with a sign-and-trade with the Lakers — this is a miss. With relatively little time remaining before training camp opens,…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/jonathan-kuminga-signs-two-13-224609934.html
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Publish date : 2026-08-26 22:46:00
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