Lakers Eye Former 1st-Round Pick in 3-and-D Search, per Report

The Los Angeles Lakers’ ongoing search for a 3-and-D wing has quietly led them into a familiar — and potentially complicated — place.

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Lakers contacted the Golden State Warriors last summer about forward Jonathan Kuminga and have continued to monitor his situation as the trade deadline approaches, making Los Angeles the first confirmed new suitor to emerge in what had been a relatively quiet market.

“The Lakers did call Golden State about Kuminga during the sides’ summer standoff in restricted free agency,” Fischer wrote Monday in The Stein Line. “I’m told that the Lakers have likewise continued to monitor Kuminga’s situation while casting a wide net to try to find help on a very limited wing market.”

It is the clearest signal yet that the Lakers view Kuminga as a potential solution to one of their most pressing needs: perimeter defense with size.

Why Kuminga Fits the Lakers’ ‘Buy-Low’ Profile

GettyJonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors drives against Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Around the league, Kuminga is increasingly viewed as a potential buy-low candidate — not because his talent has diminished, but because his role in Golden State has narrowed.

At 22, Kuminga is a former lottery pick whose athletic profile, age curve and contract structure are appealing, even if his current usage is not. That combination makes him a different type of trade target than Miami’s Andrew Wiggins or New Orleans’ Herb Jones, both of whom would command significantly higher asset prices and salary commitments.

In that sense, Kuminga represents a more realistic trade target for the Lakers — not a finished product, but a developmental bet with upside, rather than a premium acquisition requiring a premium cost.

Why the Lakers Are Looking at Jonathan Kuminga

The Lakers have been actively searching for a true 3-and-D wing capable of defending at the point of attack, switching across positions and providing enough shooting to preserve spacing around Luka Dončić,  Austin Reaves and LeBron James.

Aside from Wiggins and Jones, they have also been linked to Sacramento’s Keon Ellis. Kuminga now joins that list — and represents a unique blend of athleticism, age and upside that the others do not.

At 23 years old, Kuminga is younger than most available trade candidates, fits the Lakers’ preferred size profile on the wing and carries a contract structure that makes him relatively easy to move.

Kuminga Trade Eligibility Opens Jan. 15

Kuminga’s trade restriction is scheduled to lift Jan. 15 — three days from now and roughly three weeks before the Feb. 5 trade deadline.

That date technically opens the door for movement, but neither side is treating it as a trigger.

“Golden State understands that it might need until Feb. 5,” Fischer wrote, adding that the Warriors are not simply looking to move Kuminga for the sake of movement.

Their goal, Fischer reported, is to turn Kuminga into “a legitimate rotational piece (or two)” that meaningfully boosts championship odds while Stephen Curry continues to play at an elite level.

That reality affects the Lakers’ calculus: Kuminga will not be cheap, and he will not be a salary dump.

What the Lakers Can Offer — and Why It Matters

The Lakers’ appeal as a suitor lies in flexibility.

They have expiring contracts such as Rui Hachimura’s, a young shooter in Dalton Knecht and future draft capital — all of which align with Golden State’s desire to avoid long-term salary while reshaping its roster.

Golden State previously rejected Sacramento’s sign-and-trade involving Malik Monk and a protected first-round pick largely because of Monk’s future financial commitments. Los Angeles does not carry that same problem.

In other words, the Lakers can offer assets without asking the Warriors to compromise their long-term flexibility.

That makes them structurally compatible in a way many teams are not.

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