The Los Angeles Lakers are seen as suitors for the Atlanta Hawks' Jonathan Kuminga. What can they offer for him?
The Atlanta Hawks have answered a lot of questions heading into the NBA offseason.
They secured a long-term point guard in Kingston Flemings. They secured two potential backup big men in the draft in Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar, and opted to hang onto Jock Landale. There's a decent idea of what this team's rotation could look like next year. But whether Jonathan Kuminga will be part of it remains unclear.
It's a bit of a dark cloud hanging over this team. Kuminga is an unrestricted free agent (UFA), which often makes a sign-and-trade realistic. The latest rumors suggest that the Los Angeles Lakers could be interested in signing and trading for Kuminga. Here's how that might look.
Hawks Could Look at Intriguing Lakers Players
It would depend on what the Lakers were offering Kuminga. That said, there are two players who stand out as likely to be part of any transaction: Jarred Vanderbilt and Dalton Knecht.
Vanderbilt's $12.4 million a year salary gets the Lakers close to what Kuminga is likely to make as a UFA. Knecht has long been the subject of trade rumors: The Lakers even traded him to the Hornets once in a deal that was ultimately rescinded. These are the two players most likely to be available, but the question is whether the Hawks should be interested in either.
Vanderbilt may hold some intrigue. He's a high-effort defender and rebounder who can play the 4 and 5. He may not be a massive part of the team's rotation, but he's a strong injury insurance policy. Moreover, his deal expires after the 2027-28 season if he declines his Player Option (PO) in the prior offseason.
Knecht may have been more interesting to the Hawks before they acquired Aaron Wiggins. He's shot 36.8% from three-point range over his two NBA seasons. That said, Wiggins is a comparable shooter and a much better defender, so it could be hard to find room for Knecht in their rotation.
So, it's unclear whether either player would play much, if at all, for the Hawks in 2026-27, which raises the question of what the actual point would be.
Hawks Must Consider All Options
Here's the deal: Vanderbilt and Knecht are both rotation-quality players. Arguably, it's better to bring them both on board than lose them for nothing.
Knecht is on a modest $4.2 million-a-year contract through two more years, with a Team Option (TO) ahead of 2027-28. Taking a flyer on him makes sense. Even if he never sees a minute of action for the Hawks, he's making 10th-man money as is.
Vanderbilt's deal is a bit more onerous, but in a year, it will be virtually expiring. If he doesn't find a role with the Hawks, he should be easy to move before long.
Perhaps the Hawks would rather not bring either on board. If so, they could simply let Kuminga walk. Still, from this vantage point, it feels like adding even marginal value via a sign-and-trade is preferable to having ultimately traded Kristaps Porzingis for a half-season of Kuminga's services. For now, though, all anyone can do is ask questions.
