Lakers May Have Clear Sign-and-Trade Framework With Hawks for Jonathan Kuminga

The Los Angeles Lakers appear to have a realistic path to pulling off a sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks to land Jonathan Kuminga.

Feb 26, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga (0) reacts after making a three-point shot against the Washington Wizards during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It has been a crazy summer for the Los Angeles Lakers, with the storied franchise going through a massive roster overhaul while officially beginning the post-LeBron James era with superstar guard Luka Doncic leading the way.

Even though the bulk of the work is done for the Lakers’ front office, with the team bringing several new players, like Walker Kessler, Kevon Looney, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Jaden Hardy and Sandro Mamukelashvili, Los Angeles appears to have one last significant move in the works.

Jonathan Kuminga, who is currently an unrestricted free agent, has interest in landing with the Lakers, but the team needs to free up cap space to get it done. One way to do this is to pull off a sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks.

Hawks Interested in Jonatham Kuminga Trade With Lakers

According to Khobi Price of The California Post, the Hawks are willing to bring in Jarred Vanderbilt and a first-round pick swap in 2032 from the Lakers to get it done.

A source told the Post the Hawks are willing to execute a sign-and-trade with the Lakers around the framework of Kuminga going to L.A. and the Hawks receiving Jarred Vanderbilt and the Lakers’ 2032 first-round pick swap – the lone option the Lakers have of trading a first-round pick this summer.  

This is an interesting trade scenario for the Lakers to consider, as they could add a long-term starter who could thrive in Los Angeles in the years to come.

Why the Lakers Should Do the Jonathan Kuminga Trade

Considering the Lakers have been trying to move on from Vanderbilt for quite some time and would bring in a 23-year-old with a potentially bright future to play alongside Doncic, this Kuminga trade might be a big win for the team and its long-term plans.

Kuminga comes with his fair share of baggage, rubbing legendary head coach Steve Kerr the wrong way during his time with the Golden State Warriors, and has had his injury issues, but he might be worth the gamble for the Lakers here.

He still has a high upside, with his athletic ability and the potential to become a force on the defensive end of the floor that Rui Hachimura never was. Also, the Lakers don’t have many options to improve the roster moving forward.

The one-time NBA champion forward has averaged 12.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game over his five-year career, shooting 50.2 percent from the field and 33.2 percent from beyond the arc.

It wouldn’t be all that surprising to see Kuminga’s numbers go up across the board while playing on a team built around Doncic for the foreseeable future.

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