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1 hour ago
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The Los Angeles Lakers received the Jonathan Kuminga news they desperately needed in early July.
According to the California Post’s Khobi Price, the Atlanta Hawks have expressed a willingness to include Jonathan Kuminga in an offseason sign-and-trade for the Lakers declining 27-year-old forward.
“The main option that could help the Lakers acquire Kuminga: A sign and trade with the Hawks, which would allow Kuminga to receive a higher salary than the Lakers are able to offer him as an unrestricted free agent,” Price wrote Wednesday.
“A source told the Post the Hawks are willing to execute a sign-and-trade with the Lakers around the framework of Kuminga going to L.A. and the Hawks receiving Jarred Vanderbilt and the Lakers’ 2032 first-round pick swap – the lone option the Lakers have of trading a first-round pick this summer.”
“Vanderbilt has two years and $25.7 million left on his four-year, $48 million contract extension he signed with the Lakers in September 2023. He has a $12.4 million salary for 2026-27 and a $13.3 million player option for 2027-28.”
The Lakers should be all over this deal, as it’s not like Vanderbilt has been a plus contributor with the franchise since joining in 2023. Sure, the Kentucky product is a reliable defender who can defend multiple positions and is only a few seasons removed from hounding Golden State Warriors star guard Stephen Curry on the perimeter in the Western Conference Semifinals.
That said, Vanderbilt’s perimeter shooting has yet to improve, and he’s far from an otherworldly slasher, making him an asset the Lakers can afford to relinquish. Granted, Kuminga’s three-point shooting is nothing to write home about either, as he’s connecting on 33.2% of his triples for his career.
That said, the former Golden State Warriors forward is a far more capable offensive threat and has a higher overall upside than Vanderbilt. With the Lakers’ 2032 first-round pick swap serving as a deal sweetener for Los Angeles, the 17-time NBA champions should be in good shape to soon acquire Kuminga from Atlanta.
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