The 2 players the Lakers will pursue after the disappointment with Kuminga

Los Angeles Lakers need to react after losing Jonathan Kuminga, who ultimately chose the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Los Angeles franchise has an evident need at the power forward position, and two names emerge as possible solutions: Herb Jones and PJ Washington.

The loss of Kuminga is a blow for the Lakers, who had worked for weeks to try to acquire him through a sign-and-trade with Atlanta. The goal was to add youth, size, and defensive capability around Luka Doncic, but the player ultimately opted for Minnesota. Now Rob Pelinka must ensure that the failure of this operation does not leave the roster without a necessary piece to compete for the championship.

Herb Jones, a particularly interesting option

The name Herb Jones fits quite precisely with what Los Angeles needs. The New Orleans player is one of the most recognizable defensive specialists in the NBA and could handle tough matchups, allowing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves to reduce their defensive exposure.

His main issue is outside shooting. Jones needs to be respected enough from the perimeter not to harm offensive spacing, especially playing alongside Doncic and the starting center. Even so, his defensive ability and versatility would make him a much more functional complement than another player who needs the ball.

The situation in New Orleans could favor negotiations. Jones has lost some relative prominence with the arrival of Bennedict Mathurin, who just signed a two-year deal with the Pelicans. That does not mean he is necessarily for sale, but it does open the door for the franchise to listen to offers.

PJ Washington would be the more familiar path

The other alternative would be to attempt to acquire PJ Washington again, a player who is already well acquainted with Luka after sharing a locker room with him in Dallas.

Washington would offer a very appealing combination of size, defense, rebounding, and outside shooting. He is probably the profile that could best fill the void left by Kuminga without disrupting the Lakers' offensive structure too much.

The problem is financial. Washington signed a four-year, $89 million extension, with a salary cap impact of about $20 million for this season. Dallas also does not seem to have any reason to part with him at any cost.

Precisely for this reason, the operation would require the Lakers to take on a considerable cost in assets or contracts.

The Lakers cannot settle for just any solution

The priority should be clear: add defense and size without removing prominence from Doncic. After losing Kuminga, simply acquiring another scorer would be misdiagnosing the problem.

Herb Jones offers greater defensive impact, while Washington provides a more complete balance between defense and offense. Neither has the offensive ceiling of a star, but both could solve a structural problem for the roster.

The conclusion is that the Lakers need to react, but without rushing. Losing Kuminga cannot lead them to overpay for a substitute. If they can acquire Jones at a reasonable price, it would be an excellent defensive solution; if Dallas opens the door for Washington again, the prior knowledge with Doncic could make him the most natural alternative. The goal should remain the same: surround the Slovenian with players capable of competing defensively and finally provide his offensive talent with a context suitable for championship contention.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los 2 jugadores a por los que irán los Lakers tras la decepción con Kuminga