Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[KillerLeft]

@LegionHoops

REPORT: The Hawks have a preferred framework in place to execute a sign and trade that would send Jonathan Kuminga to the Lakers, per @khobi_price

Hawks would receive:
Jarred Vanderbilt
2032 first-round pick swap

Lakers would receive:
Jonathan Kuminga

Ok, so I argued with Scott over whether his anger was justified over teams "helping" OKC earlier this summer. I stand by my takes on those deals - the teams got good players they wanted, so OKC didn't have to pay anything. There might have even been a bidding war in one or both of those situations, for all we know. People here wanted both players, honestly. 

But this one...I think the Lakers might be getting off pretty cheaply here, unless Vanerbilt is less distressed than my impression. I think of him as an injured player, who, when he plays, you wish would become injured again. I know Kuminga isn't the prize of the century, but one swap (despite it being a pretty good one, I think) seems light to motivate someone to sign and trade their free agent to you and take your worst salary off of your books to make it happen. I'm hoping this is fake.