3 reasons why Lakers should be open to a Jonathan Kuminga trade for LeBron James

The Golden State Warriors are at an impasse with their forward Jonathan Kuminga over a contract extension. Still a free agent at the time of writing, the Congolese has been offered a contract by the Warriors but remains undecided about rejoining them for the season.

Despite their differences, Tim Kawakami reports that Warriors owner Joe Lacob is a fan of Jonathan Kuminga and has no plans to trade him this summer, unless it’s for a deal he considers worthwhile. Although many teams are interested in the forward, the Warriors’ ability to match any offer has stopped teams from offering a contract.

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With the Warriors putting a $7.9 million extension offer on the table, the Jonathan Kuminga situation has other teams watching closely. Among them are the LA Lakers, who could use an athletic boost on the wing. While their trade assets are limited, there’s a case to be made for exploring a bold move, even if it means parting with LeBron James. Here are three reasons why such a deal might make sense.

Three reasons why the Lakers should be open to a Jonathan Kuminga trade for LeBron James

#3. The addition of depth and athleticism over a short window

The Lakers have been active this offseason, bringing in Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia. After moving Anthony Davis, the team had a glaring need at center, which they quickly addressed with Ayton, while Smart adds valuable depth and toughness to the backcourt.

Although LaRavia strengthens the wing rotation, Jonathan Kuminga could be an even better fit. An athletic forward with a reliable shooting touch, Kuminga has the versatility to cover multiple positions and the potential to step in as a strong successor to LeBron James.

#2. Future-oriented roster building

While LeBron James remains one of the greatest players in basketball history, he’s now in the twilight of his career. The four‑time champion will turn 41 this year, and swapping him for 22‑year‑old Jonathan Kuminga could be a smart long‑term move for the Lakers.

It would give them a chance to fully commit to building around Luka Dončić, with Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Jake LaRavia and Adou Thiero already forming a promising young forward rotation.

Moving LeBron’s $52 million contract would free up major cap space, giving the Lakers room to lock in Kuminga on a team‑friendly deal and keep building for the future. With smart mid‑season moves, they could still contend now while setting themselves up for long‑term success.

#1. Unlocking Luka’s full control of the offense

With LeBron and Doncic on the team, the duo will need to share ball-handling duties. Both players are playmakers and need to see the ball to make plays happen, which in turn can slow the offensive flow, making it detrimental to the team in the long run.

However, with Kuminga in the team, Luka would take complete control of the offense, as the forward prefers to stand at the perimeter to dish threes or drive in. This move would also allow the team to build a system fully around Doncic's strengths without having to balance another high‑usage creator.

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About the author

Arian Kashyap

Arian Kashyap is a basketball journalist at Sportskeeda with over two years of experience at Essentially Sports and Spice Bite and a Bachelor's in Physical Education and Sports Sciences.

Arian's favorite team is the Miami Heat and it’s mainly down to Dwyane Wade being his favorite player of all time. Arian loved how explosive Wade was as a player and he had all the attributes, whether that be shooting, defending or passing. Arian really liked how he won titles both with and without a dynasty behind him.

Arian has also worked with Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools and was the manager for a Delhi-based women’s team called Garwhal Untied. Garwhal won the Delhi league and were runners-up during his tenure.

Arian has judged essay writing competitions for the Commonwealth Students Welfare Group of India in 2023 and was a part of the U-14 team for the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools academy that qualified for the AIFF Round in 2023.

When not working or watching sports, Arian likes riding his motorcycle and reading.

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