The Los Angeles Lakers have already spent all their money in free agency, but improvements still need to be made to the roster.

General manager Rob Pelinka was aggressive once the signing window opened and headlined the Lakers’ free agent deals with a four-year, $130 million contract for center Walker Kessler. The Lakers also signed guards Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes as well as big man Sandro Mamukelashvili.

While those additions are strong individually, there’s much doubt surrounding how the team will jell as a collective. Moreover, there is still a glaring hole for a versatile wing defender.

The Lakers have been linked to free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga, who is coming off a 2025-26 campaign where he averaged 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists. He shot 46.3% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc last season for the Atlanta Hawks.

The 23-year-old spent the first four seasons of his career with the Golden State Warriors, so the Lakers are quite familiar with the type of player Kuminga is. Joining the Lakers would be a good opportunity for Kuminga, who could serve as a starter or bench player in LA.

The organization saw several key players depart this offseason with LeBron James informing the Lakers he would not return for the 2026-27 season as well sharpshooter Luke Kennard and defensive specialist Marcus Smart signing elsewhere.

Their departures left the Lakers without multiple starters and one notable sixth man — Rui Hachimura.

Hachimura is an unrestricted free agent, yet remains unsigned unlike Kennard and Smart. The slow free agency process for Hachimura speaks volumes for the Lakers, who seem to be weighing their options in free agency.

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According to NBA insider Dave McMenamin, there are rumblings that LA is planning on making a potential trade or using the stretch provision to make an offer, which could be made to either Kuminga or Hachimura.

“That Hachimura remains unsigned caused several league sources to wonder whether the Lakers are planning some sort of trade or using the stretch provision on perhaps Jarred Vanderbilt or Deandre Ayton to be able to offer Hachimura more,” McMenamin writes.

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Currently, the Lakers don’t have the ability to sign another player, aside from a veteran on a league minimum. In order to make a considerable offer to Kuminga or Hachimura, the Lakers would have to execute a trade or waive Vanderbilt or Ayton.

Hachimura is coming off a strong playoff performance where he averaged 17.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. However, the current Lakers roster is lacking a versatile defender and the forward has notoriously struggled in that area.

But Hachimura gives the Lakers a solid three-point shooter who is coming off a postseason where he shot over 50% from three. There seems to be upside for both Hachimura and Kuminga, who is the younger option of the two.

If the Lakers want to continue infusing youth into the roster, Kuminga would be the obvious choice as he has the potential to develop into a solid two-way player at only 23 years old.

Pelinka will have to get creative in order to acquire more talent before the season begins, but it’s clear the path to do so will be challenging.