Jonathan Kuminga Pushes Back on Major Claim About Lakers Offer

The Jonathan Kuminga saga for the Los Angeles Lakers is over, with the one-time NBA champion choosing to sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves to join forces with Anthony Edwards rather than head to Tinseltown to play alongside Luka Doncic.

Throughout the entire process of courting Kuminga, which included pitching him as a potential starter and significant player on the squad in Los Angeles, the Lakers seemed like the favorites to sign him, with some believing it would be only a matter of time before he’d join the team.

Obviously, that didn’t turn out to be the case as he supposedly went to Minnesota to play in more of a “winning culture,” which is a little comical considering the franchise has never won an NBA title, while the Lakers have 17 championship banners (second most in the league) hanging in the rafters at Crypto.com Arena.

Jonathan Kuminga Denies Claims About Lakers’ Contract Offer

Before Kuminga made his decision, the rumors swirling about the Lakers’ offer were that it was the biggest one out there for the young forward.

However, that has now been denied by Kuminga, which surfaced on the Ball in the Family Podcast with Lonzo & Gelo Ball. Lonzo’s manager, Darren Moore, claims that Kuminga told him he didn’t turn down a larger offer from the Lakers.

“Let’s talk a little bit about [Jonathan] Kuminga,” Moore said. “He actually DM’d me, and to clear this out for everyone, I’m going to read it verbatim.”

“He said, ‘Gang, I saw the interview, and I never turned down no bread. None of that had ever been offered.’ From the source,” he added.

The rumored offer from the Lakers was a three-year deal, which would be the required length in a sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks, worth $36 million, so $12 million annually.

Ultimately, Kuminga signed a two-year, $12.4 million deal with the Timberwolves, including a player option for the second year.

Kuminga’s Deal Was About Flexibility, Not ‘Winning Culture’

Even though Kuminga is trying to come off as someone who values winning over everything, the fact of the matter is, he didn’t want to be locked into a long-term deal with no flexibility to make more money after the upcoming season.

It’s pretty obvious when looking at the situation.

Mar 27, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga (0) talks with an official during the second half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the Lakers, he’d have to take $12 million per season for the next three years. As for his contract with the Timberwolves, it’s essentially a one-year deal due to the player option, meaning the 2026-27 campaign will be a prove-it year in an attempt to sign a lucrative long-term deal with Minnesota or another team next summer.

So the Kuminga saga will likely begin all over again next summer, and who knows if the Lakers will be in the running for his services or even want to pursue him after this fiasco over the past few months.

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