​The Atlanta Hawks declined their $24.3 million team option on restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga for the upcoming season, opening the door for a splashy pursuit in free agency. The Los Angeles Lakers wasted no time in reaching out to Kuminga, presenting him with a vision of becoming a starting wing for a team that wants to pair him with their core. Kuminga appeared intrigued by the possibility, but the sides are far from a deal, and negotiations have barely begun to gain traction. In the open market, the Lakers can offer only a two-year contract totaling roughly $20 million, a figure Kuminga hopes to surpass given his aspirations and the trajectory he believes he’s on as a player. To bridge the gap, Khobi White of the New York Post floated a sign-and-trade as a potential solution that could allow Kuminga to secure a higher annual salary than the Lakers can provide on their own.
According to White, the Hawks have a preferred framework in mind for a sign-and-trade that would send Kuminga to Los Angeles while allowing Atlanta to land a valuable return. The proposed framework, as cited by White, would look like this: the Lakers would receive Jonathan Kuminga, and the Hawks would receive Jarred Vanderbilt plus a 2032 first-round pick swap. In return, the Lakers would part with Vanderbilt and potentially other players to gain more roster-building flexibility, with the overarching aim of acquiring Kuminga.
Legion Hoops summarized the purported framework in a tweet, which carried the line: “The Hawks foresee the framework of a proposed sign-and-trade like this: Lakers receive: Jonathan Kuminga; Hawks receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, 2032 first-round pick swap.” Price’s reporting added that the Lakers had shown willingness to move Vanderbilt as well as other players on the roster to create more options for improving the roster around Kuminga. Vanderbilt has two more years remaining on his contract with a total of about $25.7 million left, a sum the Lakers would be willing to shed if it earned them Kuminga.
In conversations with Kuminga, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick (briefly noted in reports) tried to sell him on a vision of becoming a high-minute wing alongside Luka Dončić, in a spacious on-court environment designed to maximize Kuminga’s skill set. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin provided this account, underscoring that Los Angeles believed Kuminga could thrive in a role that complemented Dončić in a modern, space-conscious lineup.
Beyond the Lakers, Kuminga has drawn interest from a handful of other teams. The Cleveland Cavaliers have been mentioned as a potential fit, though their ongoing pursuit of LeBron James muddies clarity on their long-term plans with Kuminga. If Cleveland lands James, their interest in Kuminga could shift or fade depending on how the roster evolves. The Milwaukee Bucks have also been discussed as a possible destination, especially given the current openings at forward in Milwaukee after trades around Giannis Antetokounmpo. Sacramento’s Kings have historically shown interest in Kuminga, but recent reporting has presented conflicting signals about the strength and continuity of that interest. And the Hawks, despite declining Kuminga’s option, remain in the conversation about re-signing him, though likely at a figure lower than the $24+ million decision they rejected.
Kuminga, the No. 7 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, has spent four and a half years with Golden State, a tenure that left him unhappy with his role and the level of trust he received from head coach Steve Kerr at times. This discontent culminated in a notable moment early in the most recent season when he came off the bench and appeared unsettled with his usage. The evolving dynamic around Kuminga’s role, his development trajectory, and his fit within various team schemes continues to be central to the free-agent discussions. As teams weigh their options, Kuminga’s market value reflects his potential and the demand for a versatile winger who can thrive in faster, more open offensive systems. The question remains whether a sign-and-trade can unlock a scenario in which Kuminga finds the right situation to maximize his minutes, impact, and long-term earnings, while the Hawks secure enough compensation to align with their own rebuild or win-now aspirations.