Jonathan Kuminga decision reportedly coming soon, Lakers said to be preference

The Jonathan Kuminga waiting game may finally be nearing the finish line.

And if NBA insider Jake Fischer’s read on the situation is correct, the Lakers may still have the inside track.

Fischer said during an appearance on Bleacher Report that he continues to hear Kuminga’s decision is down to Los Angeles and the Minnesota Timberwolves, adding that he believes the 23-year-old forward prefers the Lakers.

“Kuminga, I think, has seemed to prefer going to the Lakers,” Fischer said. “They have the most opportunity to negotiate there.”

More importantly, Fischer suggested a resolution shouldn’t be far away.

“That’s going to come to some type of conclusion here soon,” he said. “I thought it could have happened last week, but I still have been told nothing to suggest that Kuminga’s situation is not coming down to the Lakers or the Timberwolves.”

That builds on what we reported Monday, when the Lakers and Hawks had resumed discussions on a potential sign-and-trade involving Kuminga. Those talks reportedly included Jaden Hardy after Jarred Vanderbilt had surfaced in earlier frameworks.

Minnesota offers the cleaner transaction, since the Timberwolves can use part of their mid-level exception without needing Atlanta to cooperate. Los Angeles would require a sign-and-trade, meaning Kuminga would have to sign for at least three years.

But LA apparently offers something else Kuminga wants. As in, opportunity.

The Lakers are believed to view him as a potential starting power forward alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

So the mechanics remain complicated. The preference, apparently, isn’t.