Huge salary gap! Kuminga wants over $25 million annually, while the Lakers target a 2-year, $20 million deal

On July 10, Beijing time, the Los Angeles Lakers are still committed to bringing Kuminga into their overhauled lineup, but whether they can truly land him remains an open question. Reporters Fischer and Stein have thoroughly outlined the latest progress in the Lakers' chase for the 23-year-old forward, providing the most comprehensive update to date.

The report indicates three major obstacles to this deal: convincing the Hawks to cooperate in a sign-and-trade, bridging the huge gap between the Lakers' offer and Kuminga's expected salary, and the Lakers' limited salary cap space after several aggressive offseason moves.

Despite the difficulties, Fischer made one point clear: "The Lakers really want Jonathan Kuminga."

The Lakers continue their pursuit of Kuminga amid a busy offseason

This summer, the Lakers have significantly reshaped their roster around Luka Dončić.

The Lakers acquired Kessler from the Jazz; signed Grimes, Sexton, Mamukelashvili, and Looney in free agency; and traded former No. 1 pick Ayton to the Wizards in exchange for Hardy.

Stein stated that apart from Kuminga, the Lakers have essentially completed all their planned offseason moves. "The Lakers' desired acquisitions have almost all been finalized."

With the roster framework largely in place, basketball operations president Pelinka has the bandwidth to continue searching for a young, high-potential wing player.

Massive salary gap: clear difference in offers

Fischer revealed that the Lakers have made multiple offers to Kuminga, but they are still far from the annual salary the former Warriors lottery pick has in mind.

"The Lakers have repeatedly submitted contract proposals to Kuminga. The latest I've heard is that the Lakers' target is a two-year, $20 million contract."

According to Fischer, Kuminga still wants a contract worth over $25 million per year—the same salary standard he proposed during negotiations with the Warriors last offseason.

"I believe Kuminga is even seeking a figure higher than the $25 million annual range the Warriors offered last year. To be honest, given the current market, I find it hard to imagine any team willing to pay that price."

Stein also agreed that the current free-agent market is unfavorable for Kuminga: "At this stage of the offseason, most teams' salary cap space is basically exhausted. Getting a two-year, $20 million deal would already be a good result."

The Hawks' stance is the key to the trade

Even if the Lakers and Kuminga agree on a contract, there is still a major hurdle to overcome.

Stein believes that, under the right conditions, the Hawks might be willing to facilitate a sign-and-trade. "The Hawks don't seem opposed to this deal."

But Fischer is less optimistic: "We need to dig deeper for information. I'm not sure the Hawks are willing to cooperate with the Lakers on this trade."

The Hawks' cooperation is crucial—the Lakers have already used up most of their salary flexibility this offseason and no longer have the cap space to sign Kuminga outright.

"The Lakers don't have enough salary cap capacity to directly meet Kuminga's salary expectations." Therefore, if negotiations continue, a sign-and-trade is the only viable option.

The Lakers view Kuminga as a long-term building block

Even though they know Kuminga cannot perfectly address the Lakers' most urgent need—perimeter point-of-attack defense—both reporters indicate the Lakers have not given up the pursuit.

Stein commented: "He is not the two-way wing the Lakers desperately need. This addition is more of a pure talent-driven investment."

Fischer holds the same view, believing Kuminga's immense potential outweighs concerns about positional fit: "He is the highest-upside wing available on the market right now, and his development timeline perfectly aligns with Dončić's career stage."

This long-term roster-building vision is what drives the Lakers to continue their pursuit.

Even after completing one of the busiest offseasons in the league, the Lakers are still searching for core pieces that can partner with Dončić for the long haul. Whether they can ultimately win over the Hawks, meet Kuminga's salary demands, and overcome their own cap constraints will determine whether this blueprint for the team can be realized.