Lakers Turn Attention to Ziaire Williams as Cost-Effective Wing Option Amid Kuminga Price Standoff

The Los Angeles Lakers have found a new name to watch in their search for wing depth, and it comes with a significantly friendlier price tag than their top target. With Jonathan Kuminga’s asking price reportedly climbing toward $25 million in sign-and-trade talks with the Atlanta Hawks, the Lakers have turned their attention to unrestricted free agent Ziaire Williams as a cost-effective alternative to shore up their perimeter defense around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

Williams, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft out of Stanford, began his career with the Memphis Grizzlies before being dealt to the Brooklyn Nets in 2023. After two seasons in Brooklyn, the 24-year-old forward just wrapped up the best statistical season of his career, and the Nets still opted to decline his $6.25 million team option, making him an unrestricted free agent this summer despite the breakout performance.

A Career Year Cut Short by a Foot Injury

Williams put together his most productive campaign yet in 2025-26, averaging a career-high 10.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.1 assists in 22.9 minutes across 56 appearances, including 13 starts. He also shot 42.5 percent from the field and a career-best 34.3 percent from three-point range, a notable jump for a player once viewed primarily for his athleticism and defensive upside rather than his shooting touch. His season ended early after he missed Brooklyn’s final five games with a left foot injury, but he’s expected to be ready for training camp wherever he lands.

The Nets’ decision to decline the option wasn’t necessarily a referendum on Williams’ play. Sources have indicated Brooklyn is prioritizing cap flexibility this offseason and has been declining several team options as a result, with the door still open to re-signing Williams on a new deal. But the move made him available on the open market, and the Lakers wasted little time monitoring the situation.

Kuminga’s Price Tag Opens the Door

Los Angeles has made Kuminga its primary target for much of the offseason, engaging the Hawks in sign-and-trade discussions after Atlanta declined his own $24.3 million team option. According to reporting from NBA insider Jake Fischer, Kuminga is seeking a deal well north of the $20 million range the Lakers were hoping to land him for, with his camp targeting numbers closer to the $25 million he made last season in Golden State. Complicating matters further, a standard sign-and-trade requires a minimum three-year commitment, while the Lakers have reportedly preferred a shorter, more flexible two-year structure — a disconnect that has left both sides in a standoff.

That gap has pushed the front office, led by Rob Pelinka, to explore fallback options, and Williams has emerged as the name generating the most buzz. At 6-foot-9 with the length, mobility and defensive versatility the Lakers have been missing on the wing, Williams offers a similar physical profile to Kuminga at a fraction of the cost. The Lakers have already used their spending power this offseason on a sign-and-trade for center Walker Kessler and free-agent additions Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton and Sandro Mamukelashvili, leaving them with limited cap space and largely dependent on veteran-minimum contracts for any further additions — another reason a value play like Williams makes sense.

Other unrestricted free agents such as Bruce Brown, Matisse Thybulle and Ochai Agbaji have also been mentioned as depth options, but Williams’ age, draft pedigree and improved shooting give him a higher ceiling than most bargain-bin alternatives still on the board. Bettors watching the Lakers’ offseason moves through a DraftKings promo code or a FanDuel promo code have already seen the team’s futures odds shift as the front office works through its wing options.

What Comes Next for Los Angeles

The Lakers still appear to prefer landing Kuminga if a workable structure can be found, and Atlanta has reportedly floated interest in a deal built around Jarred Vanderbilt. But with training camp approaching and the wing spot still unresolved, Los Angeles cannot afford to leave the position entirely unaddressed. If the Kuminga talks stall out further, expect the Lakers to move quickly on Williams, whose blend of size, defensive upside and newfound shooting range fits neatly into coach JJ Redick’s rotation plans alongside Doncic and Reaves.

For bettors tracking how this offseason shakes out, online sportsbooks will likely continue to move Los Angeles’ win total and title odds depending on which direction the front office goes. A cost-controlled addition like Williams wouldn’t move the needle the way a Kuminga signing might, but it would still address a real need without further complicating the Lakers’ already tight cap sheet heading into next season. Fans looking to get in on the action can check a BetMGM promo code before the Lakers’ roster is finalized for training camp.