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The Los Angeles Lakers‘ pursuit of a starting-caliber wing has gone from promising to disappointing in the blink of an eye this offseason. Although the Purple and Gold signed some notable free agents to solidify their perimeter defense, missing out on landing Jonathan Kuminga may have been a blow to the team. After an extended pursuit, the Lakers saw the 23-year-old forward sign a two-year, $12.4 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves. While this could imply a fresh start for Kuminga, it forces Los Angeles to go back to the drawing board. The Purple and Gold need another wing, and while some low-cost alternatives have been floated after missing out on Kuminga, L.A.’s current 16-man squad demands that they offload some players before finalizing their roster. Hence, since a trade appears to be the most viable path forward, a player like Sacramento Kings forward De’Andre Hunter could be a suitable target. On paper, Hunter could be an intriguing addition to the Lakers’ frontcourt. While possessing remarkable physical tools and defensive flexibility, Hunter is also a reliable scorer with versatile shot-creation ability. Last season, De’Andre Hunter averaged 13.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.7 steals per game while shooting 41.5% from the field. Although his perimeter shooting (30.5%) leaves more to be desired, given that he averages 36.4% from beyond the arc for his career, we can assume that the previous season was an outlier. In many ways, the 28-year-old appears to be a better plug-and-play fit on the Lakers’ roster than Jonathan Kuminga, especially when considering his defensive upside. But does L.A. have the necessary assets to acquire him? Can The Lakers Acquire De’Andre Hunter? De’Andre Hunter may not be a target that immediately comes to mind, primarily because the Kings only acquired him at the trade deadline in February. However, given Sacramento’s rebuilding plans, there is reason to believe the Lakers could convince the Kings to part with the forward. For the Lakers, acquiring De’Andre Hunter would largely depend on the trade package. Since Hunter is on an expiring contract worth $24.9 million, the Lakers would have to part with several assets to create enough cap space to absorb his salary. Realistically, any offer for Hunter would have to be built around Jarred Vanderbilt‘s $12.4 million contract this season. Given that the Purple and Gold were expected to offload Vanderbilt and draft compensation to acquire Jonathan Kuminga from the Atlanta Hawks, a similar approach may be feasible with the Kings. In theory, a package comprising Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia ($6.0 million), Dalton Knecht($4.2 million), and Bronny James ($2.3 million) would help match the salaries. By including additional draft compensation, the Kings may even see value in completing this trade. Unfortunately, there are some obstacles with this route. While Sacramento is currently under the tax line with a payroll of $196.2 million, the Kings’ roster features 13 active players. Therefore, taking on four additional salaries would force Sacramento to waive or cut players before finalizing their squad. Additionally, given that Vanderbilt has two more years on his contract, including a $13.2 million player option for the 2027-28 season, Sacramento may not be inclined to absorb his cap hit. In many ways, this problem emerged during negotiations involving Jonathan Kuminga as well. The solution, however, is a three-team trade. By bringing in a third party, the Lakers can redirect Vanderbilt and another player to this third team and send the remaining assets to the Kings. With enough cap space on their hands, L.A. can complete the acquisition of De’Andre Hunter. Meanwhile, the Kings add young talent and draft compensation while shedding salary. While this approach is promising, for obvious reasons, it is also considerably more difficult to convince a third team to get involved. Thus, this avenue seems less likely. For all intents and purposes, the Lakers would benefit from acquiring De’Andre Hunter. Unfortunately, at this stage in the offseason, after making all their roster moves, the Purple and Gold don’t have the necessary assets or the cap flexibility to complete this trade. In some ways, this could be for the better. Over his six-year NBA career, the 28-year-old has only made more than 65 appearances once. Given that his campaign was cut short by an eye injury last season, concerns about his health and availability are justified. Hence, this could be a sign for the Purple and Gold to look elsewhere. With many considering P.J.Washington as one of the best targets for the Lakers, L.A. could see this as an opportunity to revisit negotiations in hopes of boosting their roster strength.