Overview
- The Lakers formally pitched Kuminga a two-year, $20 million deal after meetings between the player and Los Angeles executives this week that included Rob Pelinka and JJ Redick.
- Kuminga’s camp is seeking materially more than the Lakers’ offer, with multiple insiders saying he wants above the roughly $25 million level he earned last season.
- Atlanta is reportedly open to a sign-and-trade but league rules mean a sign-and-trade would have to be a three-year contract, which complicates the Lakers’ preferred two-year structure.
- Negotiations are also hampered by the Lakers’ tight payroll after several offseason moves and by Atlanta’s resistance to taking back Jarred Vanderbilt in the proposed package.
- If talks remain stalled the Lakers will either need to move salary via a multi-team trade to improve their offer or Kuminga could wait for other suitors that are monitoring his market; he brings playoff experience and a career 12.5 points per game average.