Lakers GM Rob Pelinka’s Peyton Watson Interaction at Summer League Sparks Major Buzz

The Jonathan Kuminga pursuit takes an interesting turn after Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka is seen talking with Peyton Watson in Las Vegas.

Feb 4, 2025; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka introduced guard Luka Doncic at UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Before the NBA offseason got underway, there was a lot of speculation about the Los Angeles Lakers going after restricted free agents, like Walker Kessler, Jalen Duren and Peyton Watson.

Although it is no easy task to land restricted free agents, especially rising stars like the three players mentioned above, the Lakers were aggressive this summer. They landed Kessler in a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz.

Even though the Lakers did the unexpected and acquired Kessler, Watson seemed like the most likely of the three to end up in Los Angeles, with the Denver Nuggets potentially struggling to find the cap space to retain him.

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka Seen in Interesting Interaction with Peyton Watson

At this point in the offseason, the Lakers are likely done making substantial moves, aside from possibly landing Jonathan Kuminga in a sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks. But things got interesting on Friday night, when Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka was seen talking with Watson at the NBA Summer League.

Rob Pelinka and Peyton Watson at Summer Leaguepic.twitter.com/VXH5RcMs8N

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) July 11, 2026

With the Lakers being limited to what they can do for the rest of the summer after exhausting their cap space and sending their best trade assets to the Jazz, Watson ending up with the storied franchise is a pipe dream.

Recent reports have the Nuggets wanting a Kessler-like trade haul in any deal for the up-and-coming 3-and-D wing. Obviously, the Lakers can’t pull that off again, so they’re basically out of the running outside of some crazy trade scenario involving multiple teams.

Jonathan Kuminga Trade Rumors Continue to Swirl

Apr 18, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga (0) dribbles during the second half of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With Watson not being a realistic option, the Lakers will likely continue to explore how to acquire Kuminga in a sign-and-trade with the Hawks. 

Atlanta appears interested in a deal, and Kuminga also wants to be a Laker when it is all said and done, but the contract demands might be what is holding everything up, along with the Hawks not being interested in acquiring veteran forward Jarred Vanderbilt in return.

However, things change quickly in the NBA, and it is not out of the realm of possibility that Kuminga is wearing purple and gold come opening night. 

If there truly is mutual interest between the Lakers and Kuminga, and the Hawks are willing to make a deal come to fruition, it may be only a matter of time before the 23-year-old wing lands in Los Angeles as potentially a long-term starter alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

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