Even after so much activity over the past three weeks, there are still plenty of players waiting for their next NBA contract. Among them is young forward Jonathan Kuminga, who became an unrestricted free agent after the Hawks declined his $24.3 million player option for 2026-27.
He’s been in talks this free agency on a new contract or a potential sign-and-trade out of Atlanta, but nothing has materialized nearly a month into the process. According to NBA insider Keith Smith, the biggest obstacle with Kuminga is the length of the deal. He can only be traded if he signs a three-year deal, but he insists on signing a one-year contract if he has to accept less money than he’s aiming for.
“The challenge with Kuminga is that if he’s gonna take less money than what he wants, then he only wants to do it for a year,” reported Keith Smith. “He doesn’t want to do a three-year deal, and in order to do a sign-and-trade, he would have to have a three-year contract. That gets him stuck a little bit. He doesn’t want to be on a smaller contract that devalues himself.”
Kuminga may accept a long-term deal, and he may accept less than his asking price, but he won’t accept both, and that’s bad news for a Lakers team that can hardly afford him as it is. As it stands, they are willing to offer Jarred Vanderbilt and picks for JK, and the Hawks would accept right now if they could. But it’s Kuminga who continues to stall a deal, in the hope of maximizing his returns.
“For the Hawks, they are ready to go for something centered around Jarred Vanderbilt and outgoing draft capital,” Smith added. “It sounds like it’s on Kuminga’s side, where he wants a little bit more money.”
The Lakers (along with the Cavaliers) have had interest in Kuminga since the start of free agency, and he could slide right into the rotation as the starting small forward. Alongside Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler, Jonathan could thrive in Los Angeles and restore his value in a role that’s well-suited for him. With averages of 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game last season, he’d provide a crucial scoring spark for Los Angeles, as well as increased depth and flexibility in the frontcourt. On paper, he’d be an ideal addition, but the Lakers clearly don’t agree on his worth after watching him get exiled and discarded from two teams in one season.
Still, with only so much cap space available, Kuminga is arguably the best player the Lakers could get right now, and he would increase their ceiling as a team. But nobody knows when the stalemate will break, and until Kuminga agrees to compromise, or another team jumps in with the offer he wants, this process could continue to drag out, adding yet another layer of uncertainty to his up-and-down career. At this point, it’s anyone’s guess when or where the young star will sign this summer, but he’s not showing any signs of backing down. He knows his value, and he won’t settle for another situation where he feels undervalued.
