Newest Lakers Rumors and Predictions for Jonathan Kuminga, More in NBA Free Agency

A quiet 2026 NBA offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers just grew awfully loud awfully quickly.

Walker Kessler is suddenly manning the middle. Sandro Mamukelashvili is sliding into another frontcourt spot. Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton are joining the perimeter group.

Just like that, the Lakers have come pretty close to repurposing this roster around franchise centerpiece Luka Dončić and co-star Austin Reaves.

There is, however, more work to be done and more rumors to sift through. So, let's dive into the latest buzz from Lakerland.

Sights Set on Jonathan Kuminga?

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While the Lakers knocked off a big chunk of their summer to-do list, it isn't finished just yet.

Per The Athletic's Dan Woike, the Lakers would like to add "a young wing to help its perimeter defense" and has given "significant consideration" to former Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks swingman Jonathan Kuminga.

Drafted seventh overall in 2021, Kuminga still feels like a bit of a project. That's partly due to some issues with inconsistency, but it also reflects the lack of major minutes he has received to this point. He was obviously drafted by a team with stronger win-now directives than the typical lottery participant, and it felt like the Warriors never quite figured out how to balance their aim for competitiveness with the obvious need to develop Kuminga.

His flashes intrigue, and his rough patches frustrate. He is a work in progress, in other words, and it's up to the Lakers to decide whether they have the patience to see this through. He'd be an interesting flier for the franchise, but he probably makes more sense for a rebuilder like the Milwaukee Bucks.

Rui Hachimura Not Totally Ruled Out?

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L.A.'s first taste of free agency was defined by defections. LeBron James split, Marcus Smart joined the Houston Rockets and Luke Kennard took his net-shredding talents to the Phoenix Suns. Rui Hachimura was also "regarded as increasingly likely" to follow them out the door, per NBA insiders Jake Fischer and Marc Stein.

But Hachimura hasn't signed anywhere yet. And some potential landing spots have perhaps dried up with the San Antonio Spurs signing Tobias Harris and the Detroit Pistons adding John Collins.

With Hachimura still available, league sources are starting "to wonder whether the Lakers are planning some sort of trade or using the stretch provision on perhaps Jarred Vanderbilt or Deandre Ayton to be able to offer Hachimura more," ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported.

It's definitely an interesting idea and certainly feels more possible than it did at the start of free agency. The Lakers have to shed money to make a reasonable offer to Hachimura, but if they can get that done, there might be nothing else standing in the way of this reunion.

Walker Kessler Had Notable Fan in L.A.?

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Regardless how folks feel about Kessler as a player, the Lakers clearly paid a fortune to get him. They essentially parted with all of their draft capital (first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030) to pry him away from the Utah Jazz and sign him to a four-year, $130 million contract.

That is a massive investment from every angle. The Lakers obviously valued him a ton, and it sounds like one Laker in particular—the most important figure in the franchise—was driving that charge.

The Athletic's Dan Woike called Kessler "a player Dončić wanted at center most of all." A team source also told Woike the Lakers think Kessler fits "perfectly" with Dončić and Austin Reaves.

On paper, the plan sounds sensible. L.A. needed paint protection behind its offensive perimeter stars, and Kessler routinely ranks among the league's stingiest defenders around the rim. Dončić has also always thrived with a reliable finisher, and Kessler owns a 68.1 field-goal percentage. It's easy to see what the Lakers were thinking, even while acknowledging the risks of paying such a heavy price.