The Los Angeles Lakers have been linked to a trade to land restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga all offseason, as the forward has been deemed the team’s top target to round out the starting lineup.
However, now in mid-August, the Lakers have yet to pull the trigger on a Kuminga trade, and while the Atlanta Hawks, the player’s former team that still has the rights to keep him, could be holding up a deal, he remains one of the highest-valued players in the NBA still without a home for next season.
While the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves are two other teams in the hunt to win the Kuminga trade sweepstakes, the Lakers currently hold the best odds to land the athletic wing according to Polymarket, and according to some new reports, could be closer to adding his services for next season.
Lakers Jonathan Kuminga Trade Odds Rise
GettySAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 12: Jonathan Kuminga #00 of the Golden State Warriors reacts before the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Chase Center on May 12, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Per Polymarket, the Lakers currently hold 50% odds to be the franchise that trades for Kuminga, over the Cavaliers’ 36% and the Timberwolves’ 10%. The Hawks also have decent chances, at least according to the public bettors, to bring back the 23-year-old, but a recent report from NBA insider Brett Siegel signals that they don’t have plans to keep him.
The Lakers’ Kuminga trade odds spiked after news broke that the team was being sold from Mark Walter to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, dipped down a bit, but have since risen back up, now firmly ahead of all the other teams in the mix.
That comes as a bit of a surprise considering the Cavaliers are reportedly making a strong push for the former NBA champion in restricted free agency. Cleveland was expected to use the contracts of Dennis Schroder and Max Strus to free up cap space to land either Kuminga or Peyton Watson, another previous Lakers target.
They did trade Schroder, seemingly opening the door wider for a bigger move, but nothing has happened since. The Cavaliers remain a top contender to trade for Kuminga, but the team has yet to make all the necessary moves to bring him in.
Additionally, Minnesota was named the ‘best fit‘ for Kuminga by Siegel, due to the play styles of Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, but they could only offer him a one-year deal, meaning he’d have to gamble on himself to perform well this season and be set for a pay raise next summer.
That leaves the Lakers, who are reportedly more than willing to send out some assets for Kuminga. However, right now, a trade has stalled because the two parties are unable to agree on the price tag for a new contract.
So, the public thinks the Lakers will still win the sweepstakes for the top restricted free agent, but there appears to be a holdup that is stopping that from happening.
Latest Updates On LA’s Pursuit Of The Former NBA Champion
GettyATLANTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 23: Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts after a three-point basket against the New York Knicks during the first quarter of game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at State Farm Arena on April 23, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Writing for ESPN, Anthony Slater detailed the reason why, as he put it, trade talks between the Lakers and Kuminga have ‘stalled.’
“The Lakers met with Kuminga in the early hours of free agency, pitching him on a high-minutes role for a high-profile fringe contender in desperate need of athletic help on the wing,” he wrote in early August. “The opportunity appealed to Kuminga, but the sign-and-trade contract offer (years, money, package going back to Atlanta) didn’t satisfy all sides. The Lakers remain interested in him, league sources said, but movement toward a deal has remained stalled for weeks.”
Slater also mentioned the Cavaliers and Timberwolves as the other top suitors, but added that Kuminga hasn’t yet been offered the dollar amount he’s hoping to earn this summer.
Additionally, Siegel recently added some context on the Lakers’ pursuit of the wing player in his latest news and rumors roundup.
“Since the very start of free agency, the Los Angeles Lakers have made it known to Kuminga and his representation that they value his skills and want him as a key secondary player alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves,” he wrote. “While they did present a small contract offer to Kuminga in early July, he held out to see what other teams were interested and whether his price would grow from the $10 million annually LA was offering.”
Kuminga is reportedly interested in a deal worth $20 million annually on a multi-year contract, and while other teams could certainly offer that, Siegel made clear the top three teams in the running to trade for his services.
“It looks increasingly likely that Kuminga will end up with the Lakers, Timberwolves, or Cavs.”
The forward made $23.7 million last year, and though the 2025-26 campaign was mostly one to forget, getting him to go anywhere for a lot less feels unlikely, unless he’s set up for a raise in the near future.
For the time being, the Lakers remain heavily in the hunt to trade for Kuminga. His next team is still extremely uncertain, but Los Angeles wants to get him and hasn’t had trouble in the past bringing in top available talent.
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