Exploring the Trail Blazers‘ decision to buy out Deandre Ayton so early in the offseason, Jason Quick of The Athletic cites sources who say that Ayton’s attitude was a factor in Portland’s willingness to move on.
As Quick details, the former No. 1 overall pick was reportedly late to team flights and practices, skipped injury rehab appointments, and threw “tantrums” in the locker room when he was benched for poor effort. He also had little self-awareness about his role, says Quick, having envisioned himself as the team’s “cornerstone” when he joined the Blazers ahead of the 2023/24 season.
Teams with interest in the veteran center will have to weigh whether or not Ayton’s baggage is worth his talent after Phoenix and Portland both eventually determined it wasn’t, Quick writes.
Here are a few more free agency notes and rumors from around the NBA:
- Although they’ve reached a deal to sign Dennis Schröder to their backcourt, the Kings still have interest in signing free agent point guard Russell Westbrook too, league sources tell NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link).
- Stein also notes (via Twitter) that Al Horford continues to be a top target for the Warriors, as reported on Monday. One source who spoke to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe suggested Golden State is the frontrunner for Horford, though several other teams remain in the mix. The Warriors are in the market for frontcourt help following the departure of Kevon Looney to New Orleans.
- While Warriors restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga would “love” for the Heat to pursue him, they haven’t done so to this point, per Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Miami also hasn’t been seeking a trade for Kings forward DeMar DeRozan, Jackson adds.
- Malik Beasley‘s offseason has been a nightmare so far. In addition to being the subject of an investigation related to gambling allegations, the free agent wing is facing a lawsuit from his former marketing agency, Hazan Sports Management Group, which is seeking $2.25MM in damages and legal fees for breach of contract. David Purdum of ESPN, who has the full details on the suit, says Hazan Sports alleges Beasley was dealing with “financial issues” when it took him on as a client in 2023.
looks like Kuminga found out that he is not as highly sought after as he hoped he would be. Turning down that extension last year with the warriors was a big mistake. He is going to need to take a 1 year deal and hope he gets a big contract next year.
Kuminga is not an average player.
Kuminga stats
12.4 points per game
4.6 rebounds per game
30.5% 3PT
67% FT
Partially true. However, it didn’t help him that like one team had a decent amount of cap space this offseason. Teams can do S&T, but that usually requires them to give decent assets in that exchange, as well as hardcapping themselves.
Definitely should’ve taken the $150M though. I mean he holds off on signing that to POSSIBLY get the max, which would’ve been an extra $25M or so over 5 years. Secure the generational wealth and get more on the next contract if you’re as good as you think. He bet on himself and I applaud him for that, but sometimes you gotta just take what’s offered.
He wanted 5/$150 but warriors offered 4/$100 and he said No.
I saw he turned down 5/$150 because he thought he was worth more that $30M a year. Could’ve been a misreporting of numbers, but I know I saw that last year.
No the 150M was what he was looking for. The team never offered him anything close to that.
His people originally were talking about him getting the full mini max. lols
In a quick search I found this, so had to be something else with the years and total:
“The Warriors and the forward were “never all that close” in their negotiations, according to Slater, who says Kuminga might’ve accepted a deal below his maximum but that Golden State didn’t increase its offer beyond something close to $30MM per year.”
I think they may have talked about something in the 135M/5 neighborhood.
You could be right, I don’t follow them as closely as you. Like I said, I vividly remember seeing he turned down 5/150M, but couldn’t tell you from where. Again, it very well could’ve been a misprint or what he was hoping for and I misinterpreted it when I read it. Because I know I thought at the time that it was crazy that he’d turn that much down, even though he had a chance to exceed it going into the season if everything went well.
Why applaud someone for making a foolish decision based on narcissism and conceit???
Seems borderline sociopathic to me or giving him/you the benefit of the doubt, just really, really stupid.
Go ‘murica!
I applaud him because he was willing to do something that most people wouldn’t have. I don’t think he is narcissistic at all. I think he just truly believes he is and will be a great player. He shouldn’t be berated just because hindsight is 20/20. He took a gamble on himself, and it didn’t pay off this time. He has still gotten paid more than most will make in a lifetime for playing a game, so I think he will be ok.
He will get more than a one year deal from the Warriors, just won’t get as much as the previous offer
Well Ayton sounds like the perfect partner for LeBron.
Horford-Kuminga-Green-Butler-Curry is an old, but still nasty close-out unit.
Wasnt that Brook Lopez instead of Horford as of yesterday? LMAO
Nobody linked Lopez to GSW. There was maybe an assumption that they had had a long standing interest in him.
I was referring to the post our resident clown Davey J made yesterday while Lopez was not yet signed by the Clips.
The Warriors should have drafted Franz Wagner instead of Kuminga. Can you imagine Wagner in the Golden State Warriors learning from the best shooter in history? Wow, we’re talking about a championship. I don’t know how they miss him, but at least Jonathan Kuminga is a cool name for a basketball player.
That’s a fun what if, but it also leaves out how Steve Kerr (a moron) would have told Wagner he was “defense first” and then after he plays bad defense for 2 games Kerr benches him for 2 months to play a 2way player who wasn’t on the team the next year over him.
The one guy who might have been able to dodge the Kerr bullet from that draft is Sengun.
A guy from that draft who has had a stronger career than Kuminga so far and who is currently available is Herb Jones.
Wow, that is a good one, Sengun in the Golden State Warriors.
He was drafted 2 spots after Moses Moody, GSW could have had him. Are you arguing this isn’t true, or are you just thinking about it being one reality we easily could have been living in? Because if its the latter, then yes, Sengun on GSW would have been a very good thing.
Even better would have been Trey Murphy over Moody.
Pretty sure Steve Kerr either screwed Davey’s wife, or is his long lost father who refuses to speak to him.
Chap,
“3/39M = 1/27M”
:)
If MIA wanted to target Kuminga, then the GSW would have a good idea about it. Due mostly to the Butler trade negotiations. Frankly, Kuminga would likely be in MIA, but even if that wasn’t workable in the Butler deal, how MIA valued the player would be known. So, it wasn’t the best place for his agents to try a head fake. Although normally MIA would be, as they have an historical affinity for free agency. Even there, though, I can’t remember then getting involved with many RFAs.
BKN is also not interested (apparently), which isn’t good news for him. Marks, among active GMs, leads the league in offer sheets (he’s done at least 3). But the profit of the experience was educational only. Kuminga is fortunate only in that GSW overvalues him, almost it seems out of obligation. He should try to leverage that to get a Jalen Green level deal, with 2 years guaranteed and a p/o. GSW should quickly offer up a 1 year (high number) deal, with a t/o. Taking the Q/O is his only leverage, but GSW shouldn’t push it. Of course, he should already have been dealt.
Raps should trade CMB, Quickley, Poetl and 2 firsts for Markkanen. Then sign Ayton.
Lmao.
Been saying for years now that Ayton’s next contract in the NBA would be small, perhaps even a shocker to some based on his talent. Frankly, none of the above should come as a surprise to those who have followed him since his Phoenix days. Dare I say, I could even see him out of the league in a few years. No heart, no work ethic, black hole on the court. Bad for both contenders and rebuilding teams.
A desperate team will sign him and probably regret it later, even at the relatively low cost paid. But when needs must…