Former Golden State Warriors lottery pick Jonathan Kuminga remains unsigned in free agency, and what once appeared like an intevitable move to the Los Angeles Lakers just hit another hurdle on Monday.
The Lakers have signed wing defender Matisse Thybulle to a one-year, $3.3 million deal, putting another roadblock in front of Kuminga's move to the franchise which has lost momentum over the past week.
Jonathan Kuminga hits another hurdle with Matisse Thybulle signing
Following their first four big moves of free agency headlined by the sign-and-trade for Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler, Kuminga appeared to be the primary focus for Los Angeles after the Atlanta Hawks declined his $24.3 million team option for next season.
But Kuminga had no interest in the underwhelming two-year, $20 million offer that was presented to him, leaving the need for a sign-and-trade which would require the Hawks to be accomodating. That seems to have hit a brickwall, leaving the Lakers into turning their attention towards similar wing players in Ziaire Williams and now Thybulle.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported the Lakers were still in hot pursuit of Kuminga following the Williams signing last week, but that's taken a more pessimistic twist as a result of this Thybulle signing on Monday.
"The Lakers have until opening night in late October to explore trades to consolidate the roster. L.A. strongly pursued unrestricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga as well, but those talks have not progressed," Charania wrote.
The Thybulle addition puts the Lakers roster at 16 players, meaning any Kuminga arrival would almost definitely have to be a sign-and-trade where the Hawks -- and few other teams -- are going to have little interest in the remaining two years and nearly $26 million on Jarred Vanderbilt's contract.
Jonathan Kuminga facing a familiar free agency fate again this offseason
Kuminga's restricted free agency became the talk of last offseason, with the former seventh overall pick not re-signing with the Warriors until the start of October, before he was shipped out to the Hawks at February's mid-season deadline.
The 23-year-old may be an unrestricted free agent this time around, but his desire for a healthy contract means he's still reliant on other teams in a similar manner to last offseason. Not only do rival teams have to come to the table, but the lack of available cap space means the Hawks have to be appeased in a sign-and-trade.
Unrestricted free agency was supposed to be the tool of freedom Kuminga wanted, but the Thybulle signing on Monday is another reminder that it's not necessarily granting what the young forward was after.
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