There was chatter early in the free agent period connecting De’Anthony Melton to the Lakers, but that talk has “cooled” in recent days, according to Jovan Buha, who said during a Monday live-stream (YouTube link) that the free agent guard has been more frequently connected to the Warriors as of late.
NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link) confirms as much, citing league sources who say that Golden State has emerged as a “strong contender” to sign Melton.
The Warriors used their full non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Melton to a one-year contract in free agency last season, but he suffered a season-ending ACL tear in just his sixth game with his new team. Prior to the injury, the 27-year-old was looking like an ideal fit in Golden State’s backcourt, with an average of 10.3 points per game and a .371 3PT%, albeit in a very small sample size.
Here are a few more free agent notes from around the NBA:
- Big man Al Horford is another free agent who has been frequently connected to the Warriors. According to Noa Dalzell of CelticsBlog (Twitter link), Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens acknowledged on Tuesday that it’s “unlikely” Horford returns to Boston, though Stevens did say the team made offers to both him and Luke Kornet (who signed with San Antonio).
- Veteran forward Nigel Hayes-Davis and Fenerbahce have officially parted ways, the Turkish team announced (via Twitter). The move paves the way for Hayes-Davis to get his FIBA letter of clearance and officially finalize his reported agreement with the Suns. Hayes-Davis reportedly turned down a lucrative offer from Fenerbahce that would have made him one of the EuroLeague’s highest-paid players.
- Chris Herring, Zach Kram, Bobby Marks, and Kevin Pelton of ESPN broke down some of their favorite – and least favorite – moves of the free agent period so far, with Kornet to the Spurs, Brook Lopez to the Clippers, and Dorian Finney-Smith to the Rockets among the signings that earned kudos.
Only thing holding up warriors signing anyone is Kuminga. I am guessing they will use his money to give out more FA contracts if he goes else wher but so far he has been offered nothing.
Hurry up
Assumption:
Warriors trade Kuminga to Pistons for Stewart and a protected First. Incoming salary is 15
Warriors are below the luxury tax line. Use $14.1 Million to sign Bradley Beal
Very competitive
Stewart is 2 years older than Kuminga
His cap hold is huge so they have to resolve his situation first. Also teams could theoretically make an offer over the apron if the GSW hard cap themselves and they wouldnt be allowed to match. Right now they can go up to his max if they need to so they can match any RFA offer.
We almost know there are done deals with Melton and Horford since they are just waiting to take care of business. The one wild card is if you trade JK your probably able to use the full MLE and take back 12M in salary or create a TPE. You would then have like 8M to give Beal/Brogdon or any of the other FA that expect above the min.
The Rfa process needs to be fixed. I don’t know how entirely but man it really sucks for Gsw and Phi right now living in limbo
Gsw could miss out on Horford or Melton or solid vet mins just bc it’s taking too long
Phi coulda gave Yabuselle even more than Knicks currently if they got the Grimes news in time
Chi had 1 play in the tank too if given a quick Giddey number
I just don’t see how it’s fair that some teams free agency is at a disadvantage any given year just bc they drafted and developed a player thru rfa status and want to retain them
I think they can better this system next cba
The players dont like it either since you need a second team with space for an offer or you have no leverage. Even worse with like Reeves where LA could match a bigger offer and signaled they would, but offered him their max. He couldnt get teams to make an offer just to make LA pay more.
they way kuminga is acting I wouldn’t mind just getting a 1st rounder and a playable bench player for him. If he is f doing this just imagine what he would do if he is a free agent. Looks like his #1 goal is money money money and nothing else.
I dont think theres any reason to blame Kuminga. This is how RFA works. Like Kuminga isnt even doing this his agents are. Maybe his agents arent being straight with him. He also may just think he deserves more than the market will bear.
I have no problem with him trying to get a good offer, which he wont, before taking a below market deal because a 2+1 at 3/75M is all he can really get.
Def, this isn’t a blame the player sitch its a blame the function sitch
JK or any RFA deserve a fair shake at their first real payday no doubt. NBA needs to look under hood and improve the system
I truly don’t see who benefits
Teams. They get to artificially depress contracts. Austin Reaves would have gotten double his deal as a UFA.
With Reaves the Lakers made it known that they will wait until the last minute before matching a offer for him so many teams that wanted him didn’t want to tie up the money. If an offer is made on a RFA that money is on hold and the new team can’t use it until it is accepted.
They also telegraphed super hard that they would match anything that could be offered. So all the teams involved knew that if you were tying up your cap space it was entirely just to make the Lakers books worse.
Truth is Kuminga agents are amateurs. He had a reasonable on teh table last year but turned it down feeling he deserved a max. His agents now are in panic mode knowing teh blew it. So they are saving face. If I am the warriors i give him 24 hours on a take it or leave it offer. If he rejects it just give him a QO. No team is coming after him witha better offer.
They already gave him the QO and cant force him to take it. They also cant move on since until they resolve things UTH can create cap space with the Collins deal and just offer him more than the Warriors are allowed to match. So you really have no option outside waiving him and letting him walk to accelerate this. You need to either trade him or get him signed in order to get the rest of the business done.
He still has like a month + to decide on the QO and any team can make an offer in that time.
Utah has over $30 million in space but they didn’t want Kuminga before in a trade so did they change their minds?
When didnt they want him in trade? They asked for him plus Podz/Moody and all the picks and swaps for Lauri. They also can have cap space by waiving KJ and a couple others, or they can create a large TPE depending on how they want to structure the situation after the Collins trade.
The Clips didnt want Kuminga as the main piece in a Paul George deal.
Kuminga was in the package but they wanted Podz instead and 3 1st round picks.
The initial ask if I remember correctly was Moody/Podz/Kuminga 4 1sts and 3 swaps. I dont think it really ever got anywhere from there.
his thing is to develop as a lead horse kind of guy ( like jordan poole and kuzma wished they coulda done in wash)
money comes with it, sure .. but the W’s never could give him the consistent chance
It’s like what Raf Stone said about Whitmore to wizards to have a chance
Yea, its def flawed Chap
I don’t have the answer but I know there’s a better way
Yea it even kinda screws FA’s some who will wait then something crazy happens, some cap drys up and they end up losing money on the market that way too
In theory Siver and Co wanted to promote and draft and develop league but this seems like they are going out of there way to make it harder and less benefitable
He has the QO, I believe. So If he doesn’t get an offer. They can negotiate a contract. And either trade him now at 50% of value. Or keep him till TD then get full contract value. Only way you get equal value back now. Is by trading for young talent. For other player or players you think fit better now on Warriors. Now nothing is happening till Beal signs with new team. Can’t mess up a Kuminga trade …..
Right trade for Kuminga. Plus signing Horford. Is a big move for Warriors.
Resigning Melton could be a bonus for Kuminga. The biggest problem the Warriors have had with JK is spacing. Melton was definitely a bonus for the Warriors. He could lead the 2nd unit. Signing Horford and having him come the bench would also be a bonus.
Horford and Melton are better outside shooters. There would be more spacing for JK to do what is more comfortable for him. He could also work on his passing to others with better shots.
JK could get his minutes. The Warriors offense won’t suck like it did last season. Over the course of a season, they can develop a chemistry with Butler, Curry and JK on the floor together. That’s why JK didn’t play much in the lead up to the playoffs, chemistry. Butler fit like the perfect glove and the Warriors stagnant offense took off.
I really don’t see JK being on the roster for long … either before the season or before the trade deadline. I think what JK wants is a bit different than what the Warriors want (being a star vs rings).
We shall see! I would love to see JK take on primary offensive duties during the regular season but who knows what the FO has cooking.
Well, if the Kings offer is any indication of what other teams are thinking, JK will probably be here until at least the deadline. I don’t he has a very good agent. He had $30 million on the table. Now, he is going to get less than that. If he stays grumpy, he is going to further diminish his value.
Imo the Kuminga experiment is over. Warriors need to concentrate on success in playoffs. Get the best value you can. Kuminga still has good value.
You don’t think Jovic and Jaquez can help.
Or Murray and Ellis from Kings.
Um…Jovic, Jaquez, Murray, and Ellis are not being offered. Why would the Warriors want Saric back?
unfortunately none of them were offered for Kuminga. If Heat offered Jovic and Jaquez they should take it immediately. the Heat has some nice young players If I was MD I would try to work some things out for them. Kings has only a couple good young player which they instead offered their cast offs.
> The biggest problem the Warriors have had with JK is
> spacing
There you go again. False.
Horford should sign with nuggets.
Why should he sign with them?
Oh Aristotle, are you saying that the Warriors have had no spacing problems with JK on the floor? Curry was double teamed all last season until Butler came along. Then what was the problem?
Unfortunately Kuminga is reminding me of Oubre. Has all this talent but only uses it when he feels like it. Some days too lazy and stands around on offense.
Yeah it’s always the player …. Be nice to see Kuminga somewhere else. So this board doesn’t have to get all the whining from Warriors fans …
Keep an eye on Wiseman this year …….
What did I say was false? I’ve been defending Wiseman for quite awhile and people have been mocking me for it.
Maybe a Temu version of Ingram? JK’s defense and boarding has always been an issue throughout the years.
Temu version, perhaps of kuzma ?!
Warriors window has closed. They are at best a low to mid playoff team
What is a low to mid playoff team? That’s an improvement. Last season they weren’t supposed to make the playoffs. Hell, the Pacers went to the Finals. Sounds like a good season ahead for Dubs fans.
Naw theyre going with the ’17 all star team. Gonna get Horford/Beal/Lillard maybe even Bron too.
I mean they may not be healthy, but if they are the old guys might have a shot.
That would remind me of the year the Lakers got both GP and Malone lol
lols. Those guys took massive pay cuts on what they could have gotten to do that.
Warriors window closed? I will take a low to mid playoff team any day of the week lol. That means a play-in team to 5-6 seed? OK by me.
I believe that Celtics aren’t going to sign Horford. So then you have to think. Al is only signing with a playoff team, contender. Where he knows he will be part of rotation (8-10). Warriors, Knicks, Pistons, Lakers, Grizz all can use him. Really about where he wants to go. Love to see him on Knicks. I know he and Towns are close. So hopefully that works for us.
Beal is the key to all FA signings now. We all have to wait for that chip to fall first.
Horford would absolutely thrive in Mike Brown’s system
On the optimistic side of things, the Warriors off-season should look pretty fantastic if all these rumors come through.
•Trade Kuminga to the Pistons for Isaiah Stewart check
•Sign Al Horford check
•Sign DeAndre Melton check
•Talk Bradley Beal into coming aboard for very few dollars – wishful thinking.
If the Warriors wind up with Stewart, you’d almost have to dump Greymond. I don’t think those two guys could be in the same building for any longer than a few days at a time.
Send green out somewhere for some kind of an effective player. I don’t care who, but with Horford and Stewart your defense would still be there along with Butler and Melton.
I wouldnt count on Beal. It sure seems like there is a done deal with the Clips after they dealt Powell. Of course he still needs to negotiate the deal and then pass through waivers. A lot of the time these are done ahead of time.
Your way off on the Pistons for Kuminga for a bunch of both contract rules, and where most of the rumors have been from the guys we know have team sources that give them inside info.
The two Aussies the Warriors picked might be pretty intriguing this season. Toohey is a strong perimeter defender and loves to do the dirty work. His shot isn’t quite there, yet. Armstrong has reportedly put on 17 pounds of muscle since the season ended. He has been likened to Patty Mills. They’ll probably start in Santa Cruz. But, they got Post up to speed pretty quick. All of that for a late 2nd round pick.
I was actually really happy with Toohey and Armstrong. Just their attitudes show that they are hungry to succeed and willing to grind.
Maybe we’ll get lucky and Hawkins can be give us 10 minutes. A 6’11” Small forward?
Whoever likened Armstrong to Mills still have a job? They shouldn’t. Toohey has size and is tough. Not the most agile or athletic. He is worth putting time into for sure. Got a very well rounded game without being outstanding at any one thing. Plenty young enough for improvement, he’s yet to identify what strengths translate or type of player he’s going to be. I’d be surprised if the G league wasn’t beneath him right now.
Toohey first yr 27% from deep. Second yr 34%. Third yr 42%. First two years Toohey played heavier minutes due to roster construction. He doesn’t shy away from the dirty work. Third season Toohey played less minutes while still starting and was way more efficient in all area’s. Finding a specialist role down the line isn’t beyond this kid in coming years.
anyone here thinking that Melton, before his injury, looked great with the Warriors? I think they need this kind of glue guard in their second unit, Simmons or even Westbrook are maybe less realistic but still alternatives in that role.