Lakers Consider Deadline Shakeup Packaging Vincent Vanderbilt For Jonathan Kuminga

Merlin sees the Lakers weighing deadline packages that could include Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt while shopping their 2032 first for "two or three" later firsts. Los Angeles has scouted Pelicans' Herb Jones, Tre Murphy III and Golden State's Jonathan Kuminga, who reportedly "demanded a trade." Vincent’s expiring deal and Vanderbilt’s salary could match Kuminga’s cap hit, giving the Lakers a plausible path to add wing help. Merlin senses the roster urgency. The team wants a "true 3-and-D wing" to shore up perimeter defense, but Kuminga has not played since Dec. 18 and fell out of Golden State’s rotation. A fresh start could unlock his upside, yet the trade will hinge on how many tradable picks the Lakers can assemble and whether the Warriors accept the contract structure they prefer.