Episode
Kuminga Down to Los Angeles and Minnesota? What's One Thing Austin Reaves Can Improve?
- Published
- Aug 26, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2188
- Processing state
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- https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-lakers/
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Summary
There are a couple players still rattling around the NBA, unsigned. Two have limited options but likely return to their current teams (Benedict Mathurin, Jalen Duren) and one is Jonathan Kuminga, who currently has no home. He does have suitors, though. Minnesota needs a forward and can sign him straight into their exception, but can't pay him as much as the Lakers, who would have to agree to contract terms and then figure out how to actually execute a trade. No easy task, given that the Hawks (who have no interest in bringing Kuminga back) already have too many players, and have zero need for anything the Lakers would be willing to offer. Are there enough other teams that would be incentivized by a second rounder? How many picks would the Lakers be willing to give up? And that's all stuff that would assume that the Lakers decide that Kuminga is worth the assets, and could figure out a way to make Kuminga happy. Could they be willing to do a wink-wink nudge-nudge type deal where they sign him undermarket, then find a way to give a little boost after a successful first year? Meanwhile, what about PJ Washington? He seems to think he's staying put. Which makes sense! Dallas isn't incentivized to trade him right now and should they ever get the itch, the Lakers are likely not going to have a package that outdoes other interested parties. That, by the way, is going to be a common theme for the next few years, which explains the continued interest in Kuminga despite some totally legitimate reservations. It's reasonable to wonder how much access they'll actually have to the most desirable options at that wing spot now and down the road. Finally, answering a listener email, we're looking at something each player on the roster can do to improve for this season. We kick it off wi…