The Heat‘s interest in Warriors restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga has been overstated, according to Ethan J. Skolnick of Five Reasons Sports and Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter links).
[RELATED: Warriors Make Jonathan Kuminga Restricted Free Agent]
Miami has been mentioned multiple times in recent weeks as one of the teams that could make a play for the 22-year-old forward. However, Jackson says there’s no “active pursuit” from the Heat’s end.
Jackson acknowledges in a follow-up tweet that could change in the coming days or weeks, but it doesn’t sound like Kuminga will be a top priority for Miami when free agency opens on Monday evening.
Here are a few more notes and rumors on free agents from around the NBA:
- Veteran guard Gary Payton II appears unlikely to return to the Warriors in free agency, a pair of sources tell Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area (Bluesky link). If Payton walks, Golden State will likely try to add a quality point-of-attack defender to replace him, Poole adds.
- Bucks forward/center Bobby Portis and Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith are two potential free agents who are generating a “considerable amount of curiosity” around the NBA, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). Portis ($13.4MM) and Finney-Smith ($15.4MM) both hold player options for the 2025/26 season, but if they decline them in search of multiyear deals, they would be at the top of the mid-level market for frontcourt players, Fischer writes. In a follow-up Substack story, Fischer suggests the Bucks are well positioned to retain Portis, perhaps on a longer-term deal after he declines that option.
- Re-signing free agent point guard Tre Jones is a viable possibility for the Bulls, tweets K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network. As Johnson notes, Billy Donovan and his coaching staff loved what Jones brought to the team in the second half last season, and Chicago’s trade of Lonzo Ball will remove one name from the team’s backcourt depth chart.
- Bobby Marks of ESPN takes an in-depth look at where things stand for all 30 teams entering free agency.
Kuminga probably not worth 20m+ a year on a long term deal…. If Kerr can’t figure out how to use him what does that tell you…maybe he’s a rotation piece some where? HEY, when your’re the Bulls and over paid Patrick Williams at 5/90M, yes you want to get off of that contract and get Kuminga…. But that’s the Bulls, they just went after Okoro…. Cleveland couldn’t wait to get rid of him… I guess this means beauty is in the eye of the beholder….
All 30 NBA teams would love to have Kuminga on 20m per year. 30m is what roleplayers are starting to get. And Kuminga can be more than that.
In the latter part of 23-24 Kuminga was already a player getting 20pts in 30 minutes, on above average true shooting, and was a big positive on advanced metrics. Had better per minute and shooting stats than Franz Wagner, who got the max. And Kuminga is younger.
In 24-25, Kerr put him in the corner, without the ball, which plummeted his efficiency. That was a conscious decision, probably not just by Kerr, but on an organization level, led by him not wanting to sign a contract GS were offering.
Peter , excellent analysis but the decision to stop running the offense through Kuminga’s was Kerr’s alone
Kerr said exactly this a few weeks ago on Kawakami’s podcast while acknowledging that there has been front office pressure to do more with Kuminga.
The problem is that interests are not aligned: Kerr’s job is to win games now, not develop players. And being in the last year of his coaching deal makes that more the case. Meanwhile, Dunleavy and Lakob are also responsible for 2027 and beyond.
So Franz Wagner is the comparison? If that’s the case I’d say give him $15m at most.
You couldn’t be more wrong. Why are you trying to steal money from a guy who is a starter on almost every NBA team? He deserves $30M a year. He also deserves a HC who actually does his job and develops players, instead of doing half days and not developing anyone, because he put no time in, due to an arrogant personality leftover from the Hampton’s 5 era.
This analysis is off, as this is a team sport. Can’t consider Kuminga a starter without talking about who’s in the lineup with him. Kuminga is a natural 3, who struggles at the 4 due to his lack of rebounding and overall size.
On the Warriors that position is Butlers. And the Dubs also start Draymond at 4 or 5. The ideal big next to Draymond is somebody who can space the floor. Kuminga isn’t that guy. Post is a better fit, but has flaws.
Kuminga is also ball dominant at his best. Are you really gonna give him more touches at the expense of Curry and Butler?
So Kuminga fits best as a super sub on the Warriors. But he doesn’t want that role.
Kerr develops and plays young guys, see Podz and Post, and Moody. There is no shortage of minutes in Kerr’s rotation for guys who fit the system.
So the issue is Kuminga. He wants to be a high volume midrange guy (like DeRozan) on a team that needs a 3 and D stud with size. It’s an odd fit, and Kerr either needs to adapt to him OR better JK adapts to Kerr.
Lopez-Kuminga-Green-Butler-Curry. It’s not rocket science. It will work.
Lopez is a good fit. Tho think Dubs prefer Butler at the 3, Kuminga off the bench. And a legit 2 (as Butler isn’t a natural guard, especially at his age)
Warriors –
Get rid of Kuminga – can use Non-taxpayer MLE?
$25 million to reach the 1st apron
$37 million to reach the 2nd apron
First apron:
Sign-and-trades are not permitted if the player acquired keeps the team above the apron.
Luxury Tax Line: The luxury tax line is $187.9 million
First Apron: The first apron is set at $195.9 million
Second Apron: The second apron is $207.8 million
No realistic way to get under the first apron with Giannis coming to the bay for ‘25-‘26 season; ducking below the second apron is do-able by sending out Kuminga, Dray, and either Moody or Hield as your main rotation pieces before you dip into your future draft capital as well. So position the payroll between 1st and 2nd apron. Does this mean trading for Giannis doesn’t meet the CBA requirements?
I love GP2 like an alltime Warrior great but letting him go now is the only way to stop Kerr from hurting the team.
GP2 was **s against Minnesota in the playoffs but Kerr couldn’t stop playing him because love is blind.
It’s not 2022 anymore. It’s time to move on and stop pretending. No more old small guys that can’t shoot please.
Warriors have very little assets. Need to keep Payton.
Salary dump Moody and his $37 million contract
Keep Kuminga QO, then offer him $100 million contract next summer
Sorry, Sillivan. EasyMoneySniper wins THIS take. Don’t let it deter you in any way though. Keep the takes coming. The best part of the NBA offseason is near.
I came here to write all this, but you SNIPED me! EZ buddy, EZ! Stay money though, haha
Marks says the same thing I said for Bklyn – Santi Aldama. At this point, it’s going to be a challenge for them to spend their cal allotment. They’re not going to take on a stupid contract like Beal… I don’t know who else is out their on a big deal who they could extract future assets for taking that makes sense. I don’t see that happening now. So the alternative is to sign a FA. Aldama is the most logical fit.
*cap allotment
Pat Williams can eat some cap for them.
I don’t think Sean is that crazy.
Warriors should get rid of Kuminga and sign one of the following
Bucks forward/center Bobby Portis or Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith
4 years $61 million
Yes, Portis would work well with Post as a center rotation, plus can get him relatively at a good value. Agree, Kuminga maybe at best is the 3rd top scorer on a team, if he is the 2nd leading scorer it doesn’t bode well on a contending team… Kuminga while injured was studying Jimmy Butler, how Jimmy moved without the ball to get open… In a 7 game playoff a team can easily key on him and take him out, or easily frustrate him…. rendering him useless…. Kuminga needs to be on team like Indiana who plays a deep roster and no offensive pressure is placed on him, LIKE OBI TOPPIN…
Kuminga is the opposite of a Heat culture guy. Hardly shocking they’d have minimal interest at whatever $ amount he wants/some team will be willing to throw at him. Granted, the on court fit isn’t terrible now that Jimmy is gone. They do need someone who can get to the rim to take pressure off of Herro and another scorer in general.
GPII has kinda led a charmed hoops life. He was out of when Meyers took a flyer on him. 70% of his career was with the Warriors. He got his big paycheck from the Trailblazer. Time to find that coaching job.
GPII is a baller. But we know his ceiling. He does well in spurts and will keep a job another year or two solid. After that you might be right but he’s still got something to give a team. Especially a young one. Who needs to learn effort can make up for skills you don’t have. GP doesn’t do any one thing spectacular but he does a lot of things well. I never made it to the NBA. Im jealous of his career and success.
I’m not critical of him. He bounced around the league. He was set to get into coaching. He got a second chance and made the most of it. He earned it.
I agree, Giants. What really can GP2 provide a team at this stage?
He was a key player when the Warriors won it just a couple of years ago, but he’s done.
The raw athleticism of five years ago has slowly slipped away and his contributions are zero aside from hustle plays like tips and rebounding and keeping the ball alive.
He was a good three and D, but I think he’s done.
Even at a minimum contract rate I think a team would rather have a young guy than Gary Payton. Just my two cents. It’s over.
I wonder what Bobby Portis could be on GSW… not sure a natural fit but I like his toughness
Kerr likes Portis. A possible fit.
I feel that sometimes Draymond is crazy, sometimes Bobby is crazy
Two tigers Draymond and Butler
Two crazy: Draymond and Bobby
Bobby took a paycut to stay in Milwaukee. Wants his now, his words. Sign and trade unless Warriors have the full MLE.
He has a player option. He will decline and become an UFA.
I never thought it would work, just pointing out that Kerr likes his style of play. My money is on Lopez at a reduced rate, close to home, for one last run.
Free agents Porits and Brook Lopez replacing Looney and GP2 would sweep OKC next year
in fact, what’s better than sweep… Thunder wouldn’t even show up.
If Kuminga’s agents were going to float a rumor about a team having interest, MIA would be a great choice. As an RFA, he’ll need some outside interest to get overpaid.
I doubt he is the player DET liquidates cap space for, and BRK has already started eating into theirs facilitating in the Porzingas deal, and seems more likely to keep taking in picks to eat contracts rather than make Kuminga an offer that will tie up the cap space until it resolves.
I dont see him being able to leverage an offer from anywhere, and I dont see a team offering the Warriors enough to ship him out. At least his agent can get feedback from teams as to what they would pay so they can set a realistic ask. He is going to get squeezed like Okoro did last summer, and I would expect a sort of bargain deal.
I don’t see other “contract eating” really out there for the Nets. I don’t think they would take on the Patrick Williams contract even if they could get a FRP.
They’re going to have to sign a FA, or several, in order to spend their cap allotment.
Not just eating a bad contract. If 2 over the 2nd apron teams need to make a deal one needs to send out at least one smaller contract to another team to make it legal. They will be facilitators for an offseason where there is no cap room and most player movement will be through trades.
They have become the leagues accountant for a year just making everyone elses books work.
Yeah I realize that. I just don’t see many scenarios that would work but we’ll see. I may be wrong and maybe there is another expiring contract they could add (Barnes for example) if there was a future 1st in it. They’re already loaded with 2nds, so I don’t see the value there.
I mean I would guess each trade they facilitate will be for somewhere in the 4-15M range. I also expect them to sit as close to the floor as possible since in season trades become even harder to facilitate so they will want to keep as much of the flexibility they have for the trade deadline.
I also would guess Cam Thomas resigns for something above his previous salary and cap hold by at least 10M so some of this cap space may not even exist unless they are heavily incentivized to get the most space possible.
The other thing to keep in mind is that their roster is already more than 15 deep so I don’t think they will keep adding players just to eat up cap space. otoh, I can see them trading lower priced guys like Jalen Wilson and Tyrese Martin tho, where they would net a strategic piece like Jarred Vanderbilt.
I mean some will be signed and bought out or re traded. You get the 20 spots in the offseason so they can temporarily add several and then cut or waive or trade some.
No one will buy a MIA rumor though. Granted they do have Andrew Wiggans, the lowest effort player in the league.
I don’t understand why Kuminga being overpaid makes everyone so mad around here. He literally is good at NBA basketball and has a ring already. Kerr is his only problem, as Kerr is a problem to anyone under 25 in need of coaching. Kerr does not coach, he vibes. And the vibes have stunk since 2023.
I would love my Bulls to grab Kuminga after getting Okoro…see ya Pat Williams ✌️…
Indiana 2.0 would be shaping up very nicely!!!
Ahahahahahahaa