Jake Fischer: But, yeah, NOLA has been the Bennedict Mathurin team since before February’s trade deadline. Said yesterday on @BleacherReport Chicago wasn’t factoring into his free agency. But I believe the Bulls are involved in Jonathan Kuminga’s process to a real degree, in addition to Lakers, Wolves.
More on Jonathan Kuminga: Recent HoopsHype Rumors
According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, Kuminga’s decision is coming soon now that it has come down to two teams, with the Lakers seemingly having the edge over the Timberwolves. “Comes down to Minnesota or Los Angeles,” Fischer said. “Kuminga, I think, has seemed to prefer going to the Lakers. They have the most opportunity to negotiate there. … “That's going to come to some type of conclusion here soon. I thought it could have happened
last week, but I still have been told nothing to suggest that Kuminga's situation is not coming down to the Lakers or the Timberwolves.” — 8/26/2026 Sports Illustrated
The Lakers and Hawks talked sign-and-trade earlier this summer, but those talks stalled out because Atlanta is not looking to add salary (it is only $3.8 million below the luxury tax line, and Kuminga currently counts as zero for them). Or, at least Atlanta is not interested without a quality draft pick as an incentive, and the Lakers would not go there. Also, Atlanta currently has 17 players under contract heading into training camp and needs to shed at least two, not add players. The Lakers and Hawks are talking sign-and-trade again, with guard Jaden Hardy reportedly in the conversation (he makes $6 million this season), while previously that was Jared Vanderbilt ($12.4 million). — 8/24/2026 NBC Sports
Brian Windhorst: There's still a window there for the Lakers to do a Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade deal using Jaden Hardy. But my thing on the whole Jonathan Kuminga sign and trade thing is that for the Hawks to do a sign and trade, they're going to probably end up in the tax unless you can ship someone to a third team who has to be paid. And I've just been very doubtful that unless the Hawks are in love with the situation that they're going to end up, signing and trading Kuminga. The other thing with Kuminga is a sign and trade has to be three years. Doesn't have to be fully guaranteed, but it can't be player options. It'll be team options. And so, if Kuminga can't get a contract number that he likes in the first year, even if it's more money, this is one thing that Lakers fans, you know, the Lakers fans have been sort of putting Kuminga on their team in their head. And look, maybe it does get done, but Kuminga, he wouldn't control his contract. That first year salary, even if it's higher, would be less than he thinks his value is, right or wrong. — 8/21/2026 YouTube
Shams Charania: The Cavaliers remain in constant communication with James Harden and his agents on a new contract to return to Cleveland while they strongly pursue two free agent forwards -- restricted Peyton Watson and unrestricted Jonathan Kuminga -- made more viable with Friday's trade. — 8/14/2026 x.com
While sources say the Schröder deal is not specifically a prelude to another imminent move — either for Jonathan Kuminga or Peyton Watson, both of whom the Cavs remain interested in — it provides the kind of financial flexibility and optionality to help in that sign-and-trade pursuit. — 8/14/2026 Cleveland Plain Dealer
APHoops: The Cleveland Cavaliers may wind up backing out of sign-and-trade talks for Jonathan Kuminga and Peyton Watson as James Harden and his camp grow impatient awaiting his contract, per @JakeLFischer. “I would expect Harden to be paid handsomely.” — 8/11/2026 x.com
Sources tell cleveland.com the Cavs continue to discuss various trade packages involving Schroder, seeing if there is an opportunity to slightly reconfigure the roster or gain financial flexibility, which would help their pursuit of free agents Jonathan Kuminga and Peyton Watson. — 8/8/2026 Cleveland Plain Dealer
It has reached the second month of what has become a second consecutive prolonged Jonathan Kuminga free agency process. The Lakers met with Kuminga in the early hours of free agency, pitching him on a high-minutes role for a high-profile fringe contender in desperate need of athletic help on the wing. The opportunity appealed to Kuminga, but the sign-and-trade contract offer (years, money, package going back to Atlanta) didn't satisfy all sides. The Lakers remain interested in him, league sources said, but movement toward a deal has remained stalled for weeks. — 8/7/2026 ESPN
Jon Krawczynski: ‘What is going to be very difficult for them in this scenario is that they only have a minimum offer to extend to Jonathan Kuminga. One of the things that has been made clear by Kuminga's camp to anyone that is expressing interest in him is that he wants a good chunk of money. And I think that started over 20 million per year. And I think that's dropped a little bit just given the lack of action on the market right now. But it is hard for me to see a scenario where the Wolves get involved at anything over the minimum. I just do not see any really avenues for them to get involved that way.’ — 8/6/2026 YouTube
Jon Krawczynski: ‘There was a report from my friend Michael Scotto at HoopsHype last week that the Wolves have emerged as a team that has expressed interest in Jonathan Kuminga. What I can say to that is very much similar to a lot of the scenarios out there with many free agents over the years. When someone is available, especially at a position of need, yes, the Wolves are interested in trying to get involved in the sweepstakes there.’ — 8/6/2026 YouTube
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Lakers, Bulls, Timberwolves involved in Jonathan Kuminga chase?
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