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Lakers Resume Kuminga Sign-and-Trade Talks With Hawks

8/25/2026

27 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Lakers have resumed sign-and-trade negotiations with the Atlanta Hawks for forward Jonathan Kuminga.
The Hawks declined Kuminga’s $24.3 million team option, rendering him an unrestricted free agent.
Kuminga reportedly prefers Los Angeles because they would start him at power forward.
Minnesota could sign Kuminga with a $6 million mid-level exception without a trade.

History

Historical Context

The NBA’s 1990s expansion era, which added the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1989 and saw Michael Jordan debut with the Chicago Bulls in 1984, boosted player salaries and roster complexity. The 1995 addition of the Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies also grew the market and contract values. That legacy of flexible roster management underlies today’s Lakers-Hawks-Timberwolves sign-and-trade talks for forward Jonathan Kuminga.

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Story summary

Lakers have resumed sign-and-trade negotiations with the Atlanta Hawks for forward Jonathan Kuminga.
The Hawks declined Kuminga’s $24.3 million team option, rendering him an unrestricted free agent.
Kuminga reportedly prefers Los Angeles because they would start him at power forward.
Minnesota could sign Kuminga with a $6 million mid-level exception without a trade.

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