The Warriors have issued qualifying offers to three players, making them restricted free agents, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link).
That trio includes forward Jonathan Kuminga, one of this summer’s most intriguing young free agents. The 22-year-old received a qualifying offer worth roughly $7.98MM. The other two players getting qualifying offers from the Warriors are Taran Armstrong and Nico Mannion — they both received two-way QOs.
Kuminga, whose season was derailed in January by a badly sprained ankle that sidelined him for over two months, has an inconsistent rotation role for Golden State in 2024/25, continuing a years-long trend. He averaged just 24.3 minutes per game and struggled to settle into a regular role following the trade-deadline acquisition of Jimmy Butler, since lineups featuring Kuminga, Butler, and Draymond Green didn’t feature enough shooting to be viable. That trio had a -24.9 net rating in just 38 minutes together during the regular season.
Kuminga, who posted career lows in shooting percentage (45.4%) and three-point percentage (30.5%), even earned DNP-CDs during a handful of games at the end of the season, in the play-in, and in the first round of the playoffs. However, a Stephen Curry hamstring strain in the second round of the postseason opened the door for him to reclaim a major offensive role and give his stock a boost entering free agency — he averaged 24.3 points per night on .554/.389/.720 shooting in those games.
Kuminga spoke recently about wanting to claim more of a featured role going forward, whether that happens with the Warriors or another team.
As we explain in our glossary entry, a qualifying offer is a procedural one-year contract offer, with the value determined by the player’s draft slot and/or previous salary. For some RFAs, the qualifying offer simply serve as a placeholder while the player and the team work out a multiyear deal. In other cases – especially for two-way players like Armstrong – the QO is more likely to be accepted.
Mannion hasn’t been with the Warriors since 2021, having played overseas since then, but the team continues to tender him a two-way qualifying offer every June in order to retain his RFA rights in case he eventually returns to the NBA.
Didn’t know Uncle Nico still held so much juice
they finally traded away Jessup rights. Last year there was talk of him trying out for team. He is making more money overseas than being a 2 way player here.
I dont think he ever got good enough to warrent a 2 way
Whoa ! And what about locking up Smiley while they are at it ? 🤣
Please don’t remind me of that horrible GM decision from a few years ago that cost the warriors 2 second round picks.
In the current CBA every team in a trade has to “touch” each other team. So in a 4 team deal you have to include something that goes to each team. This is why you will get protected seconds and no value international rights getting swapped in weird ways where they send 2nds back and forth from some of the teams and nothing else.
Lopez-Kuminga-Green-Butler-Curry = chip
Doritos or Lays ?
I am shocked no Durant and Giannis on that chip? He must be downsizing the packages…lol
*Sigh*
Title, you nerd.
JK best play is do a 1 year deal and be a free agent next year when more teams have money to spend.
Yeah he is screwed this season. Nets are the only team with any cap space left
I was Nets. I sign him today. Make Warriors make a decision now. From what I have read. Warriors can sign Kuminga now to a three year deal. Then trade him at Feb TD for equal contract value. Seems best scenario to me.
no thanks.
> JK best play is do a 1 year deal and be a free agent
> next year
Judging by the Dunleavey-Kawakami interview on Thursday, JK’s camp has told the Warriors exactly that: he’s prepared to take 1 yr for $8M and walk.
That’s why Dunleavey is saying publicly now that JK can fulfill his career goals as a Warrior and should sign a long-term deal. If the W’s won’t commit to JK now that he’ll have a meaningful role, he will not sign with them.
Also, it was very interesting to hear Dunleavey say the W’s tried to get a mid first round pick, and were offering current assets to do it. The FO is also thinking about 2028 and beyond, not just this coming season. The FO may well make moves that reduce competitiveness this year to make the team better after Steph leaves.
Again, we see the conflicting goals between Kerr and owner/GM, between the present and the mid-term. Kerr openly states that he doesn’t see a key role for JK with the current roster. Owner/management openly states it wants to keep JK and acquire more young talent to be better in 2028 and beyond.
Its 7M though. Like would he really get more than the 3/75 on a 2+1 or something that they offer to take 17M less?
When the alternative is trashing your career, absolutely, he will give up $17M in year 1.
He’s only 22 years old, with, in his mind, 15 years remaining. In his mind playing for Kerr for 2 more years will cost him hundreds of millions.
Clearly, Dunleavey is taking the position seriously.
Thats insane. It would be equivalent to his entire earnings to this point. He knows if he signs and it isnt working they will ship him as matching salary if nothing else. In the modern NBA you take the money and then try and force your way out if you hate it.
> That’s insane.
That’s your opinion. But Kuminga’s position is rational in view of the facts.
Kuminga and his camp believe Kerr wants Kuminga gone. True or not, that’s a huge obstacle to signing a contract.
Kuminga believes it’s pointless to trust in Kerr anymore. Beyond what JK perceives as a trail of broken promises, Kerr made a point in an interview after the season that he couldn’t see Kuminga playing a key role alongside Steph and Jimmy because of Kuminga’s style of play.
You’ve spoken JK and know what he is thinking?
Huh? Why are they holding their rights over Mannion? Maybe he wants to come here but not play there? It’s been years since they drafted him.
Because in a trade every team has to “touch” each other with a piece in the transaction, and the easiest to do it with are oversees players you have the rights for since they count as a thing going between the teams without any salary or value really
Hottest Free Agents – just my opinion
Top 5 available free agents
Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Ty Jerome
Jonathan Kuminga
Quentin Grimes
Dennis Schröder
Unavailable FA
Harden
Turner
Randle
Giddey
Bobby
Huge salary cap is not a good thing
I think Bobby P is gettable but yea for those who think the list is grander this iabout it folks !
Beasley as well but he’s prolly goin back to Det
76ers are expected to offer Quentin Grimes a contract 3 year $60 million. This offer would keep them below the second apron while still exceeding the non-taxpayer MLE
Grimes wants money, so …
Yeah Portis is probably the most available and underrated FA available. He said he’s looking to get paid… it’s obviously not good for him that no teams have cap space.
I would love to sign him as a Nets fan. I am going after Aldama first because he’s younger, but if the Grizz match, then I sign Portis.
Think he can be got for a 3/45 which is either a full Mle 3 years or just Brklyns cap space in which they can go high to low and have him be near 12 m his last year (3)
My best guess is
3 teams will battle for Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Pistons – 40% chance
Hawks – 40% chance
Nets – 20% chance
I don’t think the Nets will be involved on NAW.
You collect your assets first, then you do trade trade trade all season long
That’s what the Suns want to do.
Kuminga can backup Jimmy. Can also play with him some. So as sixth man can realistically give you 28-30 mins. Warriors just don’t know how to use him. Since they beed bigs and find any. Guys luke Kuminga are always playing out of place. That is thw irst place for a developing player to be. Do we understand that. Warriors are not interested in developing Kuminga. They have a need to play him. So its not going to work. Best you can do is a sign n trade with Nets. Claxton would have been great. But not sure they give him up now. If they can hold out till TD. That can work too.
If he re-signs, the plan is to play them together. They already stated that.
My best guess
Kuminga goes to Kings
Heat and Bulls will make terrible offer to Warriors for Kuminga
Nets are the only team that can offer Kuminga a starting salary of $20 million or more
Kuminga is a bad fit for this team. He shined slightly when we needed him after Curry went down. Partly because Curry was indeed out and Kuminga became a number 1 scoring option. We needed points and lots of em. Curry is the focal point, not Kuminga of this team. And getting another ring is the organizational focus.
Kuminga stalls the offense and defense with the other guys because as Kerr has said, he holds onto the ball and posts up and shoots terrible shots. Also his decision making stalls everything.
A high flyer yes, That is his value. Score points and not much else. His defense is good in spurts but lapses. His 3 is not good either. And his midrange is not the best.
Kuminga to MIL plus players and picks. Giannis comes here. Backup plan would be CHI, or MIA. Get a defensive player who can also score down low. Bam or Vucivic. And try to throw in a 3 point shooter as well. Huerter or someone else. That gets it done.
Of Course Giannis would have to declare – I want to be a Warrior. Not sure if he’s ready to that yet. Give it a few months.
Right, Giannis for crap. I don’t think so.
Stranger things have happened.
Dubs fans I know just cannot understand why Giannis or Durant aren’t dying to be a Warrior?
It’s viewed like an entitled destiny…
Im pretty sure if you asked Giannis playing with Steph would be pretty high on his list of destinations. I just think he wants to stay in MIL if at all possible. Durant was a special circumstance because of his history with the team. Also it cant hurt that when people like Butler show up they rave about how well the org takes care of them, and guys like Wiggins are so bummed to leave.
Giannis is not coming to the warriors. I am just tired of hearing it for the last 3 years plus. Durant is not coming back unless he wants to retire his last year here. Too many fans hold onto the past not seeing players get old and not as good as they once been.
Huh? When did Giannis say he wanted to be traded? What Durants team done since he left the Warriors?
Am I correct that the $7.9M QO is added to the Apron salary, lowering their 1st Apron room from about $25M to about $17M?
Can’t vouch for the exact numbers without taking a closer look at them, but the QO does count toward the apron, yeah.
Thanks, Luke, I thought so.
I don’t get all the kvetching about Kuminga getting a QO. It is kinda proforma.
And if they don’t sign GP2 he becomes a UFA Monday.
I think Payton would need to sign a minimum deal to still play forthe warriors. payton injuries and his foul troubles have been hurting teh warriors. That is why they are look at guards to take his place.