Lakers Emerge as Dark Horse NBA Trade Deadline Suitor for Disgruntled Top-10 Pick

It's been a strange start to the 2025-26 NBA season for the Los Angeles Lakers. While the team sits at 24-14 and holds the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference with three weeks remaining until the NBA trade deadline, JJ Redick's squad remains tough to gauge. At times, they've looked like a group capable of making noise in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, but at other times, it's felt like a different group shows up. Of the Lakers' 14 losses, 13 have come by double-digits, which makes it clear why many believe Rob Pelinka and company could make a move at the trade deadline.

Although the Lakers are frequently linked to high-profile names or top candidates to be traded ahead of the deadline, one new report revealed their interest in a player whose season has been as confusing as L.A.'s — Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga.

Kuminga's Frustration, Confusing Season & Declining Trade Value

While Kuminga's talent is undeniable, his head-scratching tenure with the Warriors has positioned the Lakers to make a move and acquire him at a fraction of the cost most projected in recent years. But to make a strange situation even more confusing, Kuminga's declining trade value doesn't appear on the surface to be his fault, at least from his early-season production and improvements in several areas beyond just scoring.

As first reported by The Athletic, the Sacramento Kings' previous offer for Kuminga is off the table (Malik Monk and a 2030 first-round pick that's top-12 protected). This has made the Kings, who are reportedly still interested, less likely to make a deal for Kuminga. The Warriors have also been mentioned in various potential three-team deals that involve the 23-year-old former No. 7 overall selection, but it's been nothing more than chatter.

Enter the Lakers, who The Athletic reports "have some interest in Kuminga." They also cite that the Warriors are "aware of the intrigue" and are "waiting to see how that situation evolves."

Jonathan Kuminga's NBA stats by year with the Golden State Warriors:

• 2021-22: 70 games played (12 starts), 16.9 minutes per game, 9.3 points, 3.3 rebounds
• 2022-23: 67 games played (16 starts), 20.8 minutes per game, 9.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists
• 2023-24: 74 games played (46 starts), 26.4 minutes per game, 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists
• 2024-25: 47 games played (10 starts), 24.3 minutes per game, 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists
• 2025-26: 18 games played (13 starts), 24.8 minutes per game, 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists

*Kuminga shot 51.3 percent or better from the field in each of his first three seasons, followed by 45.4 percent and 43.1 percent over the last two years.

Kuminga hasn't seen game action since Dec. 18 against the Phoenix Suns, a drastic change from his impressive start to the season. During the opening month of play, Kuminga averaged 30.8 minutes, resulting in 17.5 points per game, an impressive 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. He also shot 55.4 percent from the field and 45 percent from beyond the arc in the six-game stretch.

Since then? It's been all downhill. And with Kuminga not seeing game action, his trade value, the Warriors' hope for any type of legitimate return via trade and the young forward's future have all become extremely cloudy.

But maybe, Pelinka, who's proven he has no problem striking high-profile trades, and the Lakers front office could step in at just the right time.

Do the Lakers Make Sense as a Trade Suitor for Jonathan Kuminga?

An argument could be made that the Lakers are one move away from proving they can be a legitimate title contender. While adding Kuminga may not be that magnitude of a deal, the 2021 first-round pick unquestionably has the potential to make an impact for Redick's squad.

However, the question is, how would Kuminga fit with Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves? The likely answer is that he'd be positioned to play off the bench and potentially poised to help fuel the offense alongside one or two of the aforementioned trio. Kuminga has had some level of success playing with high-volume scorers, including alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, and another heavily on-ball duo of Curry and Jimmy Butler.

Ultimately, for the Lakers, it'll have to come down to cost. Pelinka and company aren't going to overpay when they're well aware of Kuminga's declining trade value. So, it'll depend on whether the Lakers and Warriors can find a middle ground that benefits both sides.

The Lakers still have their first-round picks in 2026, 2028, 2030, 2031 and 2032. They'll lose their 2027 first-rounder if it lands between 5-30, sending it to the Utah Jazz. If Pelinka and Redick like Kuminga enough, it'd be interesting to see how Golden State would respond if they floated one of the future first-rounders at this point.

It's anyone's guess, but the Lakers' interest is reportedly there. Now comes the NBA trade deadline waiting game, which can be both agonizing and exciting.

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