The Wing That Got Away: Jonathan Kuminga's Minnesota Choice Leaves Lakers Thin on the Perimeter

For the better part of two months, the Lakers' offseason blueprint hinged on one name: Jonathan Kuminga. The team openly stated the athletic forward would start for them. They reportedly offered the more lucrative contract. And on Aug. 27, Kuminga turned it all down, signing a short-term deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves instead — leaving himself the flexibility to hit the market again next summer.

It's a whiff that stings more than most, because it comes at a position of genuine need. The Lakers have spent this entire offseason remaking a roster that lost LeBron James to the Philadelphia 76ers. They acquired Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade, brought in Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes, added Sandro Mamukelashvili and Kevon Looney on veteran deals, and got Austin Reaves locked up. Luka Doncic is the undisputed centerpiece. Deandre Ayton remains in the frontcourt mix after joining last summer.

But the wing rotation? That's where the Kuminga miss hurts. The Lakers reportedly had Kuminga penciled in as the answer to their perimeter depth issues — a young, switchable presence who could defend multiple positions and provide some athletic burst around Doncic and Reaves.

Instead, the club is left scanning a thin market for stopgaps. Kyle Kuzma has already been floated as the most gettable trade candidate — a familiar face, but one who doesn't solve the Lakers' defensive concerns the way Kuminga projected to.

The context here is important. This is a franchise in flux off the court as much as on it. The Lakers were sold in August for a record $12.5 billion to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, ending Mark Walter's brief 14-month reign. That turnover happened the same summer they lost LeBron — a double shock to a team that's still trying to find its identity.

And history isn't exactly on their side. Every franchise LeBron has departed has seen a noticeable drop-off in wins the following season. The Lakers are trying to become the first exception, and their front office clearly believed Kuminga was central to that effort.

Now they'll have to improvise — again.

There are reasons for measured optimism. The additions of Kessler and Sexton give the Lakers a legitimate rim protector and a secondary ball-handler who can create when Doncic sits. Grimes is a solid two-way guard. Reaves' continued development means this team won't lack for shot creation.

But the West doesn't offer grace periods. The Lakers are slated to open the 2026-27 campaign against the Sacramento Kings in early October, with a brutal early slate that also includes the Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets in the first two weeks. Their preseason win total of 46.5 per BetMGM's futures board suggests oddsmakers view this as a play-in-caliber team, not a contender — and that was likely priced before Kuminga officially chose Minnesota.

Perhaps more telling is what the pursuit itself revealed. The Lakers wanted Kuminga not just to fill a starting spot, but to fit a new timeline built around Doncic. That timeline hasn't changed. What's changed is their ability to execute it this season.

JJ Redick will have to get creative with the pieces he has. Maybe that means sliding Reaves to the wing more often, playing smaller lineups, or hoping Kessler's defensive gravity masks deficiencies on the perimeter. Maybe it means Rob Pelinka finds a trade before the deadline.

What the Kuminga saga made clear: the Lakers' ambition exceeds their current roster's ceiling. And in an unforgiving conference, ambition alone doesn't win games.