​Even after forward Ziaire Williams agreed to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, their pursuit of Jonathan Kuminga continues.There have been multiple and possibly conflicting reports about what the Atlanta Hawks, Kuminga’s last NBA team, are seeking in a sign-and-trade deal from the Lakers. Reportedly, Kuminga has been seeking a contract in the area of $25 million a year, but it seems unlikely that he will actually be offered that much money.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhile Kuminga has yet to fulfill the tremendous potential people have seen in him ever since he was the No. 7 pick in the 2021 draft, he could at least be a temporary solution to the Lakers’ need for a legitimate starting two-way forward. Mychal Thompson, a former big man who won two NBA championships with the Lakers in 1987 and 1988, made his argument for Kuminga joining the Purple and Gold, per ESPN Los Angeles.“I wish I had Jonathan Kuminga’s phone number… He needs to sign with the Lakers. Talk about a great opportunity for him. He’d come in as a starter… Play on a high-profile team like the Lakers. Everybody around the league is gonna see you. He could run the floor. He can go out and get alley-oop dunks from Luka Doncic. This will set him up for his future if he ends up signing. I don’t know what’s taken him so long.”Kuminga’s focus, dedication, work ethic and perhaps even his coachability have been questioned over the last few years. But as Thompson mentioned, he is a dynamite threat in transition, and he also has the ability to play defense at a high level.He is a terrific athlete, which has always given him the potential to become, at the very least, a near-star-level player. But the 6-foot-7, 23-year-old is still more potential than reality at this point, especially since he has a subpar career accuracy of 33.2% from 3-point range, and that’s the biggest reason he’s still available.Coming to the Lakers would definitely increase his visibility, at the very least, even if he doesn’t pan out.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Former Laker Mychal Thompson makes pitch to Jonathan Kuminga