Jonathan Kuminga “Demands” Trade; Lakers Interested

As of this morning, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga is trade-eligible, and he has “demanded” a trade away from the Warriors. The trade deadline is fast approaching, and the Lakers reportedly have interest in Kuminga.

Kuminga’s time in Golden State has been a bit rocky as he started the season off hot but has quickly faded out of the rotation. Still only 23 years of age, Kuminga has shown flashes of his potential. Just last season, Kuminga finished the season averaging 15.3 points while shooting 45.3% from the field.

Kuminga was huge in Golden State’s second-round series against Minnesota this past season, averaging 24 points on 55% shooting. Golden State is reportedly prioritizing expiring contracts in return for Kuminga, and this is where the Lakers come into play.

Rob Pelinka is reportedly a fan of Jonathan Kuminga and likes him on the wing next to Luka Dončić, per @DaltonJ_Johnson

“Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka is a fan of Kuminga’s, sources say, and likes the idea of him as an athletic wing on a Luka Dončić-led… pic.twitter.com/DHkewFetkR

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 15, 2026

Potential Kuminga Trade Package

The Lakers have exceeded some people’s expectations this season, currently fifth in the Western Conference and only 2.5 games behind the second seed. Although Los Angeles has done better than expected, fans still want more.

With Kuminga on the trade block, the Lakers have many options when it comes to expiring contracts. Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber, and Dalton Knecht all stand out as potential pieces that Golden State could be interested in.

Hachimura is a bit of a tricky one because he is a better shooter than Kuminga, but the Warriors forward is a far better defender, so they do cancel each other out. If the Lakers can do a trade without giving up Hachimura, that would be ideal because potentially Los Angeles could have one of them become the sixth man off the bench.

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, “The Lakers are continuing to look at all options on the 3-and-D wing market right now, and they’re not finding many. So, of course, Jonathan Kuminga is on their list. But I think for either team to get him, they’re going to need to find some type of three-team arrangement.”

With the trade deadline right around the corner, the Lakers are active and could make a move sooner rather than later.