The Los Angeles Lakers have made a slew of offseason additions already, striking deals with Walker Kessler, Cameron Carr, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, and Sandro Mamukelashvili. At the same time, the Lakers also lost several key free players, including LeBron James, Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, and Deandre Ayton.
At this point, the Lakers don’t have much cap space to work with, but they still have enough flexibility to address their needs on the wing. Bringing back Rui Hachimura remains an option for Los Angeles, but the latest report from insider Jake Fischer suggests they are more focused on Jonathan Kuminga instead.
“There’s definitely Lakers interest in Kuminga too,” reported Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer. “The Lakers, to my understanding, were very in on Kuminga yesterday, and they’ve maintained contact there. There’s definitely a pitch that’s been made about the opportunity he could have to help Luka Doncic contend in the Western Conference… Rui Hachimura, to my understanding, is not a priority to the Lakers… We keep hearing Kuminga stuff. I believe Trey Lyles was another name on the Lakers list before he went to Minnesota earlier today… I don’t think Rui is going back there are all.”
The Lakers’ interest in Kuminga isn’t new. They’ve reportedly been coveting him for months, dating back to his falling out with the Warriors. After having his team option denied by the Hawks, he’s an unrestricted free agent this summer, and arguably the best player at his price range ($10 million or less).
“I do think Los Angeles, and have been told that Los Angeles has interest in Jonathan Kuminga,” Fischer added. “They were a team that had interest in Kuminga by way of sign-and-trade last summer, as well as Kuminga’s restricted free agency dragged out all summer long with the Warriors until he signed his one-plus-one contract that ended up having him get traded to Atlanta. So Jonathan Kuminga, to my understanding, is the Lakers’ top choice right now at the wing spot of all the guys left on the board.”
With a history of struggles over the years, Kuminga isn’t the perfect choice for the Lakers, but he provides a skill set they need right now, at a position that’s sorely lacking. At 6’7″, he could slide right into that small forward spot and help provide crucial floor spacing. In 36 games last season, Kuminga averaged 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 46.3% shooting and 33.3% shooting from three.
Of course, adding Kuminga would put the Lakers out of contention for Rui, who many believe is the better choice. He already proved he could succeed alongside Luka and Reaves last season, averaging 11.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 51.4% shooting from the field and 44.3% shooting from three. He remains unsigned over four days into free agency, and various teams are showing interest.
For the Lakers, a decision has been made. Despite Rui’s successful run in 2025-26, Los Angeles is leaning toward Kuminga, who is a bigger risk but also cheaper and younger. Ultimately, it’s a major gamble for the Purple and Gold, but one that could pay off if he lives up to his potential.
