Minnesota Timberwolves · 51 updates
Los Angeles and Atlanta are back in discussions on a Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade, with Jaden Hardy and his $6 million salary now part of the conversation, per Kurt Helin of NBC Sports.
Brian Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective that a straight Lakers-Hawks sign-and-trade for Jonathan Kuminga is unlikely because Atlanta would land in the tax, so a third team taking salary is probably required.
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints said on his Clutch Scoops Show that the Clippers are willing to trade Derrick Jones Jr. as they look to shed salary before training camp, with the forward entering the last year of a three-year, $30 million deal at roughly $10 million.
Jalen Duren, Jonathan Kuminga and Bennedict Mathurin remain the notable unsigned free agents, per Yahoo Sports and NBC Sports, with Yahoo suggesting both Duren and Kuminga are positioned to sign for less than they had hoped.
Anonymous Eastern and Western Conference scouts were asked where three lingering names should land. One suggested the Lakers take on the $17.4 million left on Klay Thompson's deal, with Jarred Vanderbilt and Dalton Knecht going back to Dallas as short, tradeable contracts.
Dallas has resisted a buyout for Klay Thompson because a market is forming, Jake Fischer said on a Bleacher Report stream.
Sacramento remains interested in Jonathan Kuminga but is wary of a sign-and-trade that would hard-cap the team at the first apron, ESPN's Anthony Slater reports.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported Cleveland is willing to move Max Strus, and LakeShowLife's Maxwell Odgen makes the case that the Lakers should turn to the 30-year-old wing instead of continuing to chase Jonathan Kuminga, whose asking price has cooled LA's interest.
With a Kuminga sign-and-trade requiring Golden State's cooperation and Minnesota pushing, LakeShowLife's Maxwell Odgen floats Derrick Jones Jr. as the Lakers' fallback wing target.
Kristaps Porzingis is headed to Golden State, with Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga going to Atlanta in return. The swap appears on the league transaction log.
