Whats next for Lakers after whiffing on Jonathan Kuminga?

After a two-month long pursuit, the Lakers’ quest in adding Jonathan Kuminga to their roster came to a halt this week, leaving them empty-handed for one of their biggest needs.With Kuminga agreeing to a two-year, $12.4 million contract ($6.4 million player option for 2027-28) with the Timberwolves on Wednesday, the Lakers came up short in addressing their desire for an athletic, two-way wing.They also missed out on the player who would’ve slid into the starting lineup alongside superstar guard Luka Doncic, star guard Austin Reaves, marquee free agent acquisition Walker Kessler and presumed starter Quentin Grimes, who signed a four-year, $60 million deal with the Lakers during the onset of free agency. With this chapter now closed – at least for now – and with about a month until training camp, there are two clear questions: Why did Kuminga choose the Timberwolves over the Lakers despite the latter team’s ability to pay the 23-year-old forward a higher salary?And where do the Lakers go from here?The answer to the first question is clearer. As the California Post reported in early July, Lakers president of basketball operations/general manager Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick met with Kuminga after free agency started in late June.That happened after the Hawks declined Kuminga’s $24.3 million team option for 2026-27 on June 29.A part of the Lakers’ free-agency pitch to Kuminga, a source told the California Post, was the Lakers seeing Kuminga as a starting wing who would complete the vision of their roster reconstruction around Doncic.The initial offers from the Lakers weren’t appealing enough for Kuminga’s side, with the Lakers increasing their offer to two years, $20 million by mid-July. But if Kuminga were to join the Lakers, they would’ve preferred the acquisition happen via a sign-and-trade involving the Hawks so Kuminga could receive a higher salary. By the time mid-July rolled around, after the Lakers officially exceeded the salary cap wi...