Chris Paul returned to Los Angeles and signed with the Clippers on a one-year deal last week. Paul showed strong interest in playing for one of his other former teams before making his decision, according to the latest Substack article from Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
The other team that Paul considered rejoining was the Suns. The team’s star, Devin Booker, was intrigued by the potential reunion, given how they meshed during Phoenix’s run to the 2021 NBA Finals. There was also seemingly a spot for Paul at the point, since Tyus Jones chose to sign with Orlando.
The Suns’ front office decided to go in another direction. Phoenix was much more interested in defensive stalwart Marcus Smart, who chose to sign with the Lakers after reaching a buyout with Washington. Phoenix’s brass also had some concerns how the future Hall of Famer’s presence might create some awkward situations for first-year head coach Jordan Ott.
The Suns wound up claiming Jordan Goodwin off waivers and signing Jared Butler to a non-guaranteed contract. Paul also drew interest from the Hornets, Mavericks and Bucks, as previously reported.
Citing a source, Stein said Dallas had D’Angelo Russell higher on its wish list than Paul. The Mavs’ brass believed Russell would be more comfortable in a complementary role once Kyrie Irving returns from his knee ailment. They also felt Russell was a better fit with Anthony Davis, considering they had played together with the Lakers. Russell signed a two-year deal with the Mavs.
Here’s more nuggets from The Stein Line:
- The Hawks considered absorbing Smart’s contract into its $25MM traded player exception prior to his buyout. Atlanta opted instead to acquire Kristaps Porziņgis and make a sign-and-trade transaction for Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The Bucks explored potential trades for Smart and the Heat‘s Andrew Wiggins with the aid of Pat Connaughton‘s expiring $9.4MM contract. They instead dealt him to Charlotte for two future second-round picks.
- Fischer reiterates that the Nets’ offers to restricted free agent Cam Thomas have yet to exceed two-year proposals featuring an annual average value in the range of the league’s $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Those offers also include a team option for the second year. Brooklyn appears to be in no rush to ramp up negotiations with Thomas’ representation, given Thomas’ lack of leverage.
- Regarding another prominent restricted free agent, Jonathan Kuminga has not gotten an offer from the Warriors close to his reported $30MM annual asking price. The Warriors’ best offers to Kuminga have topped out in the two-year, $40MM range, per Stein. As previously reported, the Kings and Suns are regarded as the top suitors but Golden State wants a first-round pick in any sign-and-trade deal. Phoenix is unable to offer a first-rounder.
If GSW would pay Giddey 2/60 and CHI would pay Kuminga 2/60…sign and trade them then?
The inner machinations of my mind are an enigma…
Why the hell would he go back to the Suns?
Maybe you should ask him if you are that curious.
I$hiba
I don’t think anything the warriors do would make him happy unless he got a 5/150 contract. I am surprside no team is offering the warriors a 1st round pick for him. Surprised the kings don’t offer a future 1st round pick for him sinmce they don’t have a star scorer besides Sabonis. Warriors should ask for Maluach from Suns instead of a 1st round.
The Suns aren’t giving up Malauch…Is Kuminga really a star scorer?
They don’t have a star scorer outside of Sabonis lol. The most casual take I’ve ever seen. DeRozan is one of the best mid range shooters and on top of that Zach LaVine is also there. Kuminga would be their 4th option on offence lol
@arc89 how would we know what’s been offered for Kuminga one way or the other?
Like most trade situations, the only party with an interest in providing “information” is the player (and his agent).
Keeping information confidential equates to power. It’s not in the Warriors’ interest in disclosing information, nor is it typically in the interests of the second team.
There are reports the warriors want a 1st rounder for him. The only trade offer that been known is carter plus Sarc ic and 2 2nd rounders. Which is a horrible deal better let him walk then add 2 players that are not better than out there.
Um yeah, kid wants his money or an opportunity. Why would another team give up a first round pick when they draft a younger and cheaper player they can develop with said pick?
DeM DeR and Z LaVine …..
So, Kuminga wants to be an All-Star. He wants 5 years/$150+ million. But his only offers are 2 years/$40 million. Ouch!! It appears the rest of the NBA doesn’t value him as highly as he thinks. $30 million would be cheap for an All-Star caliber player. Locking one up for that price would be a steak.
He can’t shoot 3’s and hasn’t proven anything in 4 seasons.
Only a lottery team woud be dumb enough to give him that kind of money. Just so he can score 18-20 points on 30 percent from 3 and losing 50 games.
He shot 42% from three in the playoffs vs the Wolves, who are a good defensive team.
He made 8 threes in 5 games and game 4 is the only good 3pt shooting game he had.
Game 1: 1-1
Game 2: 1-3
Game 3: 3-4
Game 4: 0-2
Game 5: 3-9
Weird.
42% is 42%, that’s considered good shooting from three in a series.
@ Giants…He was an all star in waiting according to you Warrior fans. Now he’s a bum, go figure. Yet you want an all star return. 2 yrs $40 mil. Says who? You guys will believe anything.
There you go with your delusions again. Only in your fantasy world did I ever say Kuminga was a perennial, or whatever term you are using this week, All-Star. It never happened. And yet, you keep pushing that belief, bizarre.
What teams are offering him more than 2 yrs/$40 million? You obviously believe that. Kuminga is the one who wants All-Star money. If you haven’t figured it out yet, Saric and a 2nd isn’t going to trigger a trade.
Sign and trade kuminga at $25 per gets a deal done for Monk. Why would the kings also give up a first? Warriors are tripping if that what they expect. Monk is a legit bucket in the second unit and coming into his prime. Monks contract won’t be a hindrance going forward, quite team friendly for a 6th man candidate year in year out. Then sign Al and Melton. That’s a far more balanced squad than right now.
Kuminga has no choice in being an allstar. He’s not that talented yet.
After striking out elsewhere, looks like Russ to Phoenix is a nice match coming together.
I’ll take Russ on Knicks. He is holding out fir a contender..
As of today unless Kuminga is offered a minimum of 25 mill a yr. It’s not in his best interest to sign. He can just wait it out tor best offer in season. Once he shows. Teams will make offers. He has a no trade clause with a QO. So can pick where he wants to go. Nobody is going to help Warriors and give them value today. In season a team will need to trade for him for the future.
Bucks should be trying to find a way to get him. They have a pick they can use.
Sims, Harris, future #1 pick.
link to google.com
Kuminga value was high after playoffs. Considering the cap and the Warriors ineptitude. Its low again now. He doesn’t have to sign his QO till Oct 1. He won’t last the year in GS. That should be clear now.
The salary cap was announced before the playoffs. So, that didn’t change Kuminga’s value. How each team values a player is set by each team, not the Warriors.
Umm…You are wrong. A QO is not a non-trade clause. The Warriors can keep the QO on him until he dies, keeping him a RFA.
Teams haven’t come close to offering him $25 million. What good would it do him to wait until the trading deadline? Why miss a training camp? If a team is heading towards the playoffs, he wouldn’t get a lot of playing time. He would basically be blowing off a full season.
@ Giants…lols, you sure about that? QO makes Kuminga an unrestricted FA next off-season. It’s the worst case scenario for Golden State.
Giants….You sure about that, lols. QO makes Kuminga an unrestricted FA next off-season. You don’t just own the man until he dies. It’s 2025 not 1600 to 1800.
QO doesn’t stop Kuminga from changing teams. It just allows them to match any offer. It happens to all rookie scale players.
The only way they keeps his rights is if he refuses to sign a contract and doesn’t play basketball next season. He has 8 million reasons to not sit out the season. If he signs the Qo, then he has a de facto no trade clause on that one year deal and becomes a free agent next season. The QO is a specific 1 year contract at a predetermined value and gives the team the right to match an offer sheet. The warriors cannot “keep the QO on him until he dies…”
Giants…Deflecting and contradictory much….funny way of admitting you’re wrong and learnt something. Make him a restricted free agent for life to doesn’t stop kuminga changing teams. Clear as mud.
You ever look things up. Or you just spout your takes. You lie about Kuminga all the time here.
Ho look it up ——- have some self respect.
—If a player signs a QO. It means he will sign with whatever team he wants. NOT with team Warriors want to trade him to. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT.
The player is in charge. He HAS to agree to the contract and team he goes to …………. that is basically a no trade clause. That is how I put it. And that is what tge Warriors face now.
Do you really think he is going to accept $7.9 million salary for next season? He wasn’t happy with the $30 million he was offered.
Was never offered $30 million….that’s a BS save face narrative, more than likely leaked by the Warriors. The old anonymous execs or sources say trick. You guys will believe anything. Start thinking for yourself or atleast demand more concrete proof.
Yes why wouldn’t he. It’s only way he can get more than what Warriors are offering. Dude when will all you crybabies. Accept the fact he is GONE. Warriors can’t pay him now. Cause they want to sign two FA, especially Horford. So Warriors can’t even sign him for 20 mill. Which we both know he won’t accept. So he will make them wait till Oct 1st to sign. The QO that Warriors have offered. Then he will be dealt in season. Warriors have no choice now. And Kuminga is not going to help the team that has jerked him around for two yrs. By signing now. Oct 1st
Every credible source has said the warriors never came close to a $30 mil offer.
link to nbcsportsbayarea.com
Veto rights to any trade if signing the QO. Sounds like a no trade clause to me. Ironically the Warriors need Kumingas value as high as humanly possible. They’ve dug their own grave here.
Only crybabies want to dispute everything. They don’t understand the Kuminga era is over. In season there will be a trade. They just got all the answers.
Warriors are not going to do a S/T to help other teams by taking back bad contracts.
A QO has been tendered by Warriors……..
Do you get that!!!!!!!
Kuminga has until Oct 1st to sign it.
Warriors will only be able to get rid of him in a sign n trade. They won’t do it till in season. Cause they want to sign FA now……. Do you understand that.
No team now will offer anything worth trading for till in season. When teams see who they got. Where their team is headed. That is when offers will come. So it will be a Sing n Trade …. Or lose him for nothing at end of year. Do you get that ????
Since GSW wants to sign Horford and Melton, they need the Kuminga issue resolved before the season.
Everyone is ignoring how bad a player Kuminga is.
Bad shot selection
Bad defence
Bad team player
Bad decision maker
Bad bad bad
Do not blame other teams for not being interested
Don’t blame the warriors for not signing him to a max extension.
Has a ring
Has the quickest first step in the NBA
Can score at will but has trouble doing that due to Curry
Was known as being pretty raw
Was great in 2023-24
Not so much in 2024-25 due to injury
Has flashed an elite ceiling if you actually watched him play. He is NOT a “Bad” player.
He’s the next LeBron from what I’ve heard
I think they could get it done if it was a 1+1 and the 2nd year was like 25ish? Give him the opportunity to ball out but get traded this year. If the Suns really want him theyll have time to figure out a trade.
The warriors have really screwed this Kuminga situation up, over a course of years. Talk about minimizing an asset smh. What will they have to show for three lottery picks in Wiseman, Kuminga, and Moody? Starting to look like not much.
Moody was a 14th pick who played well until he got injured at the end of the season.
So confirmed he was a lottery pick? He hasn’t contributed much. Podz has passed him in the rotation. Maybe he played well by his standards but he shot like 40% last year with a bad turnover to assist ratio
He had to surgery repair his hand after the season because it was so bad. He could barely catch a pass. If you watched the games last year you knew something was wrong when he couldn’t shoot the ball at the end of the season and in the playoffs. I blame the warrior team and their doctors for not putting him on the DL immediately instead of trotting out a very injured player.
He had some good moments, but he started the 5th most games for the team but only scored the 9th most ppg at 9.8, was 15th in rpg at 2.6, 17th in apg at 1.3, 12th in spg and 9th in bpg.
It’s not like 14th picks are expected to become superstars, but he’s certainly no Bam or Nesmith.
Nobody said he will be a superstar. He was still better than 4 players picked ahead of him. Of the players that were picked after him only a few had much better years than Moses. Anything picked after the top 10 is just get lucky with your scouting.
Warriors fans still crying. Waa waa. 😭😭
The man is going to sign a QO on Oct 1st. Do any of you crybabies understand what that means. It means one thing for sure he is gone. You better pray some team needs him. Otherwise he can just pull a hamstring and sit out MOST of the YEAR.
Again nobody is crying. Why do you think anyone that is talking about trading him or not giving in to his $30 million a year demands is crying? Can you name 1 person here crying? If he sits out all year so be it.
Making excuses for Warriors handling of Kuminga is Crying lol as much as you do it its called BALLING 😭😢😭😭 ….
For two yrs you have bkamed Kuminga and other teams value of him. Always an excuse always a reason to defend Warriors. That is the definition of crying LOL.
Davey J doesn’t cry as much as you LMAO ..
That is an all out lie. All you do is come here and lie lie lie. Al grow up and be a man without making stuff up to look less pathetic.
For two yr you have complained about him. Defended the Warriors handling of him.
Cry cry cry and lie lie lie about offers he has received. The only real document offer he has gotten. Is 40 mill for two yrs. Which was reported and I posted it. All other offers are rumors and made up stories. Yet you have used them all to cry and cry …
That is a lie. I said he was inconsisitent in his play. I also said Kerr has played the wrong players instead of playing him. I don’t understand why you are lying about things? You are just a warrior hater. last year you said they had no chance of making the playoffs and they were a bottom team. You also said Curry was done and he should retire. You bash Green over and over and wnat him kicked out of the league. All you are is a warrior hater. You show up here bitter you team is going another 40 years without a championship.
Explain how sitting out a year is going to help his contract search next off-season? He’ll be looking at minimums.
If his reason is wanting to be traded he could easily say I will play for a 2 year $50 million deal with any team but GSW. That would give all teams wanting him a base salary and teh warruiors a base to offer up in a trade back. He wants $30 million a year is why he can’t get a deal done. Don’t believe his agent claiming he doesn’t want $30 million a year because if that were true his agent would say how much he wants.
In life there is reality and accepting the truth. Warriors fans especially you and arc. Just can’t move on from Kuminga. It’s two yrs and I have pulled up your own words from TWO yrs ago to show you. Both of you are still saying the same things and blaming Kuminga for getting here. And you want to act like this is still a debate……
You clowns don’t get Warriors have offered Kuminga a QO. Do you understand what that means. It doesn’t matter what I think. Or for how long I have been right (2yrs). He is on his way out. The only thing now is when will it happen.
Kuminga can handle his time remaining anyway he wants. Both of you experts know what is best for him. Or what he will do next year or if he even plays. Kerr can sit him. I say he wants to sit on an injury. Why not.
All you got is crying ……
I got truth. He has been tenderes a QO.
No team is offering 15 mill or more for him
Cause No Team has the cap space.
We all know he is not signing for less than 25 mill as of today.
Which all adds up to signing the QO on Oct 1st.
Which means waiting out NBA till a team is ready to move for him.
All truths all FACTS …. That’s the difference between you crybabies 😭and the truth teller ME.
Now that is funny since i am hoping he moves on too. Here you are crying that life is so unfair to Kuminga. Oh poor Kuminga if he only played for the knicks they would have a championship. So sad he can’t live on $40 million. Life is so unfair to him. boo hoo hoo
Unless there’s some secret 3rd team, GSW screwed up not trading him a year or two ago. But they can’t signal not valuing him and then expect much for a team to take on a big contract for a player still somewhat unknown. I think top-16 protected if Kuminga takes 4 years, $75 million (2nd player opt out, 3rd year, team option) should be enough to make everyone a little happy and pissed enough. Then see what the future holds with DeRozan coming off the bench.
Kuminga rejected $30 million a year. How do you think he is going to feel about $18.5 million? This is how things got here.
That was a rumor with no substance. His representation has dismissed it. I’ll accept actual statements over rumors, especially when it would have been inane not to take $30 million. The reason for Kuminga to take the other offer, he has a belief in self, but it’s obvious he’ll never get a chance to prove himself under Kerr. But if he’s right about himself, he’ll be well above $30 mill in the 3rd year.
Kuminga rejected a 5 years $125 million deal from teh warriors because he insisted on a 5/150 deal. This happened last yearbefore taking a 1 year deal. So Kuminga did reject a very good deal but now that money went to resigning Butler. So that train passed. His agent is not very good at making deals happen.
Arc….fake news. What actual proof you have that Kuminga was offered this?
If you lived up here in the bay area you would know that happened last summer. The warriors made offers to both Moody and Kuminga. The warriors biggest offer was at $25 million a year which he turned down and wanted $30 million. He wanted the max offer. It was all over the warrior radio network on is he worth a max deal. His agent might tell you something different to save face but that was the demand and they claimed he was well worth the $30 million. With Butler contract the money is not there. Butler maker over $20 million more than the players they traded away. Kuminga screwed himself over.
Radio….c’mon. Hardly proof. What’s the main objective of media?
If you believe Kuminga doesn’t care about the money and all he wants is playing time I got beach front property in Montana to sell you for a cheap price. You do know there are articles more than a year ago saying he wants more than $30 million a year. Kuminga is quoted as saying he deserves as much as Green or Wiggins is making. That was from last year.
You need to back a bit. Kerr worked on lineups in 23-24 season that would allow Kuminga to excel. They found one. They started 24-25 out with that lineup. But, Kuminga’s numbers regressed. The overall team regressed. That’s why they traded for Butler. He had the chance; he just didn’t take it.
Giants….fake news. Was never offered $30 million per. It’s Dennis the menace Laker trade offer all over again. Fake news, never happened.
Thats a lie his agent has said it clearly. They have never been offered 25 mill. Both offers he said he would take. Lying is the worst kind of CRYING.
I”nsider Reveals Warriors’ Best Offer To Jonathan Kuminga Was A 2-Year, $40 Million Deal originally appeared on Fadeaway World.”
link to google.com
The Warriors’ offers to Kuminga have topped out at two years, $40 million, reports Marc Stein in his Substack. That is well short of the at least three years and closer to $30 million a season that Kuminga reportedly is seeking. See he is only looking for the money.
Then why did you say he was offered “$25 million a year”?
JK’s agent was negotiating and betting he’d have a better season than what actually happened.
When his agent pretends it is not about money its a lie. Its about only one thing a max extension.
Look at that Al owes me an apology he did ask for $30 million plus and the warriors offered close to it. Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga sought a salary “well beyond” $30 million prior to his deadline to negotiate an extension with the team, according to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Pool.
The two sides had until 6 p.m. ET on Monday evening to work out a deal. Now, Kuminga can become a restricted free agent after the 2024-25 NBA season.
A $30 million-plus salary would’ve made Kuminga the second-highest paid player on the Warriors. Stephen Curry is due to earn $59.6 million next season. Andrew Wiggins ($28.2 million) and Draymond Green ($25.9 million) each make half of that figure.
The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reported the Warriors were willing to pay “somewhere near the $30ish million per year range” and didn’t want to go beyond that.
“the Warriors were willing to pay “somewhere near the $30ish million per year range” is obviously BS.
The use of the phrases “somewhere near” and $30ISH million per year RANGE” is completely unconvincing as far as being accurate.
Like I said the rumor was they offered him a 5 year $125 million offer and he turned it down last year insisting on a max extension which would be 5 years for $150. That was from the warrior’s beat writer.
1. Of course I don’t think it’s all he wants, but the world is a dynamic and nuanced world and his situation is now a place where he’ll need to be featured to potentially make money and so there you have it. While the goal of a big payday may not have changed, the timeline and means will need to.
2. So Kuminga sounds like a flawed player. DEspite Kerr’s best efforts to tailor an offense to help him and the team, Kuminga failed. On top of that, it seems like you feel he’s got an inflated sense of self-worth. It is harder and harder to see how Kuminga is worth very much. Sounds like my original comment stands and you whole-heartedly agree Giants74, or maybe e en think the Kings will be suckers on such a deal.
As far as take #2, Kerr NEVER made any effort ” tailor an offense to help him”.
Kerr played the exact same offense he always has.