There has been no meaningful movement in any direction on the Jonathan Kuminga front in the past couple weeks, per Anthony Slater of ESPN.
Having returned to his offseason base of Miami after a recent trip to his home country – the Democratic Republic of the Congo – the restricted free agent forward remains underwhelmed by the Warriors‘ two-year, $45MM offer that includes a second-year team option (and a request that he waive his implicit no-trade clause).
With no guaranteed money beyond year one, a trade-friendly salary, and no ability for Kuminga to have any say in a mid-season trade destination, the structure of the proposal is too team-friendly for Kuminga’s liking, Slater explains. Sources tell ESPN that the 22-year-old’s priority has been to find a contract that positions him to be a long-term building block for either the Warriors or another club. A short-term deal that essentially sets him up to be traded runs counter to that goal.
Kuminga’s camp pitched a three-year, $82MM contract that the Warriors turned down, according to Slater, who adds that the forward has told people close to him that the idea of signing his one-year, $8MM qualifying offer and reaching unrestricted free agency in 2026 appeals more to him than accepting Golden State’s one-plus-one proposal.
Here are a few more rumors on some of the top unsigned free agents:
- Even though Al Horford has had to wait for resolution on the Kuminga situation and has mulled the idea of retirement, the Warriors seem to be operating as if the 39-year-old big man is a firm part of their plans for 2025/26, Slater writes. The idea would be to slot Horford in as their starting center to help reduce Draymond Green‘s regular season workload, according to Slater, though he notes that Horford’s minutes would have to be carefully managed as well.
- League sources consider the Kings to be the most likely landing spot for free agent point guard Russell Westbrook, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reports within the same story. Multiple reports earlier this summer indicated that there may not be room in Sacramento’s backcourt for Westbrook unless the team were to trade Malik Monk or Devin Carter, but the former MVP is still being linked to the Kings even with those two guards still on the roster.
- The Sixers continue to project confidence that they’ll re-sign restricted free agent guard Quentin Grimes, says Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). While it’s not out of the question that Grimes could accept his $8.7MM qualifying offer, Fischer believes the two sides will work out a more mutually beneficial deal that begins at a higher salary.
How about both sides sign them both to 3/75 and trade Giddey for Kuminga?
They would need more players and teams involved since each would count for 25M coming in and 12.5M going out.
I’d take Giddey over Kuminga any day. At least he knows how to play the game.
@sleepyfloyd it literally doesn’t matter what you think, it only matters what the Bulls and Warriors FO’s think.
I care what you have to say sleepy. And so does Davey, or else he wouldn’t come here… he acts like he doesn’t care, but it’s all he cares about. This place is his life. Lmao. Or is it LAMO? Either way.
I unmuted you and you immediately took a shot at me. Awesome. Back to the black hole you go. You dont know ball!
It also doesn’t matter what you think, but that’s never stopped you
Good one? I guess?
sleepyfloyd is correct, the talent disparity is a larger hindrance to Chicago and Golden State lining up to trade Giddey for Kuminga than the financial restrictions of the CBA.
@Druuu you still don’t know ball, I see. Kuminga’s ceiling is way higher than Giddey’s. He has a better quality toolbox, just has had poor runs unlike Giddey, who’s teams put him #1.
Anyway, I unmuted you, but you immediately jumped in to argue against me. Yawn. Imagining having your whole schtick be centered around me. All I do is talk ball. Back to the shadow realm for you too!
His girlfriend selection on the other hand….
You can’t even do that trade bc of the CBA rules on S&T and base salary nonsense.
I think you can, but it’s close. Other players can be added to it as a base. You are right, it’s likely never going to be a 1-for-1 deal.
I don’t blame Kuminga for that. That’s a totally team friendly pact. In fact I would classify that as a slap in the face. Even the Bulls offered Giddey 80 million which is a bit low but at least guaranteed.
I am confused how Kuminga is not good enough to play when healthy by Kerr. Yet the Warriors expect to get a starter worthy trade assets back.
So far NOBODY even offered a good trade for Kuminga but bad contracts and over paid players. That is why Kuminga will most likely start the season with warriors and if he plays at an allstar level they can give him a extension or trade him for a real 1st round pick.
arc89. I have to take you to task. Isn’t the problem actually the CBA rules?
IMO, GSW would love to have Malik Monk at $19M. Several NBA teams, notably Orlando, we’re offering him $25M/yr only last summer. It’s by no means a bad contract. He’s a legit bucket-getter off the bench and a terrific movement shooter that is a huge step up from Hield. The problem is that the CBA makes the deal untenable.
What made that a bad deal is teh 1st round pick they offered. It was the least favorable of the 2 draft picks the kings have in spurs 1st rounder. Which means it will be way back in the draft in the mid to late 20s. Monk can not be fit under the cap for the warriors so its a bad deal. Doesn’t look like anyone else want Monk or they could do a 3 way trade for him. The other 2 deals with kings and suns they were terrible deals for teh warriors.
arc89. My point is that Monk does not have a “bad contract”, which is what your post suggested.
Monk is one of the best 6th man, instant-offense types in the game, and Sqcramento is willing to give him up to get Kuminga. The problem is not that Sacramento won’t give up significant value, but that the CBA won’t permit a mutually satisfactory transaction.
Monk’s contract isn’t “bad” but its not a fit on GSW, who won’t be able to sign Horford or Melton if they took on Monk’s money.
It is a bad contract to be under the CBA. warriors payroll is tied up in 3 players and until 1 of them is gone there is not much they can do. The original post said the warriors to get starter worthy assets back. So fa nobody offered the warriors starter value or even close to it. If Monk is so good why is other clubs offer assets for him?
> It is a bad contract to be under the CBA
Who says and why? Bad for whom? I’d argue the opposite: it’s a great contract. Fair value and highly movable. The contract has 2 years remaining. Monk is entering his prime.
Monk scored 17.2 ppg this past season, he was runner-up in 6MOY the previous year. He’s a rotation players on any NBA team. Monk got multiple offers last summer FA at higher price, notably Orlando, but he chose to stay in Sac and give them a discount.
. If Monk contract is so good wouldn’t the kings would have multiple offers for him to pass onto the warriors. Monk is mainly a 1 way player that plays very little defense.
Maybe it’s the rest of the roster that’s contracts that’s making the CBA so difficult. Everyone else seems to be adjusting.
Food for thought.
There is a lot of teams having a bad time with the CBA. Only teams having no problem are bottom fed teams.
Could the Nets be sitting back waiting for the Kings to come asking to unload Monk… I think the Nets would do it for the Kings 26 FRP.. Kings would probably want that protected.. that is if it opens up Kuminga and Westbrook..
ShaqFoo,. If by “unload”, you mean take off our hands but get nothing in return, I strongly disagree that the Kings are trying to “unload” Monk. Monk had real trade value and the Kings won’t part with him without getting equal value in return.
It’s Derozan’s $26M contract that the Kings want to “unload”.
It sounds like they want to move either contract.
+1
It’s such a cope by GSW, it admits Kerr is failing the team and is the problem, while also doubling down on Kerr’s lack of development skills by putting the onus on the player. No doubt in my mind from 2026 and beyond a healthy Kuminga is worth $30M in this league, but he hasn’t hit his ceiling yet, not even close and why? Because a head coach who knew how to bring him up is not who he has had thus far.
He’s close though. If GSW got a new HC he would have him right in 2 months. I would have sent Steve packing and replaced him with Andre by now, but I guess Steve has photos of Lacob or something. Andre and Kuminga essentially have the same toolbox.
It’s called leverage lol
Arc89-So far NOBODY even offered a good trade for Kuminga but bad contracts and over paid players.
That’s how you have to make a trade in the stupid NBA rule book. You see the NBA hierarchy has taken it upon themselves to decide what makes a fair trade for you. You don’t get to decide anymore.
Problem in the NBA teams can’t made trades because of the CBA. Everyone wants to stay under the apron. Nobody wants to handcuff themselves with a bad contract. Draft picks are becoming more valuable under the CBA.
Great! Have Kuminga next to Buzelis & Essengue…none of them can shoot 3’s or create their own shots. It’s more throwing crap at the wall by AKME and hoping it to stick. Hope they keep Giddey since we need an actual facilitator on the court. Atleast Giddey helps on the boards and pushes the pace, Kuminga will be the blackhole if he’s on the Bulls.
Only way Kuminga and Giddey trade teams is after the season if they both do a S/T wanting to plahy for the other team so about a 3% chance of that happening.
> Great! Have Kuminga next to Buzelis & Essengue…none of them can
> shoot 3’s or create their own shots.
raz427, Actually, Kuminga can create his own shot. That’s his strength. The problem is the Warriors don’t want him to do that alongside Jimmy and Steph. Kuminga doesn’t hold the ball if Steph is on the court, but he does when the Warriors use him as the primary scorer.
(Steph + Podz + Draymond + Kuminga + Wiggins) has been GSW’s most effective lineup over the past 2 years. If Chicago has passing and outside shooting to complement Kuminga, it can work.
If Chicago has passing and outside shooting to complement Kuminga, it can work.”
We don’t. That is why I said it will not work.
Got it.
Funny. The Warriors went to 6 Finals, winning 4, with an offense that was based on ball movement and outside shooting. Kuminga struggles with both of those. Kinda makes things difficult.
Also funny, when Butler was inserted in the lineup, the Warriors went 28-7 run. From a late lottery pick team to knocking on the conference finals. It was probably their best stretch in 5 years, a 63 win clip. Butler didn’t know his teammates, or offense. But he made it work. Kerr wasn’t going to replace Butler with Kuminga. Kerr told Kuminga to watch Butler. Kuminga had to adjust to the winning lineup.
Now Kuminga wants to be paid like an All-Star. He ain’t there, yet
Then why did they acquire him then? Ahhhhhhhhhh……..to start trouble?
Kuminga or Butler? They drafted Kuminga because they thought they were ready to rebuild. They traded for Butler because they wanted to win.
Butler was -not- their first, second or third choice though. He was always an awkward fit and it required Wiggins to go. Butler as 1:1 upgrade from Wiggins is a fantastic move unto itself but it leaves Kuminga with a lesser role for while Butler is on the roster.
Not many talking about how GSW could also move Butler and keep Kuminga and acquire a better fit with Kuminga/Curry/Draymond or go for more depth on a tweener playoff team who Jimmy could make a massive difference on. That is a route GSW does not want to take for some reason, but why? Kuminga is almost ready for stardom, like…just play him? I don’t get it. His tools might be too raw but they are still there. He stunk on defense last season but he was put in rotations with scrubs. The mins decrease from the prior year was unwarranted. I hate what Kerr has done to both Kuminga and Moody and even Wiseman to a degree. Why did Kuminga and Moody lose playing time to GP2? GP2 isn’t a bad player, but his ceiling is lower, you’re supposed to develop Kuminga and Moody into better defenders than GP2 but if GP2 moved up on Kerr’s depth chart for no reason, in a league that’s trending towards height/size/wingspan, GP2 is just not the guy to play right now, but Kuminga and Moody are. Moody and Kuminga did nothing to warrant less playing time. One bad quarter and Kerr benches them for weeks. Moody had a 30 point game in his rookie year…doesn’t that say —something— about a 19 year old? But he fell behind on development due to Kerr playing Lamb over him? No. That is bad coaching. The Lamb and even Jerome playing time that year was abhorrent. Kerr is astonishingly bad at his job. Kerr really is the biggest issue on the Warriors right now, he HAS to go.
Jeez he’s only 22 I feel like we’ve been talking about him for 5 years
That’s because we have been talking about him for 5 years plus. He was a highly rated highschool player, played 1 year with the Ignite and 4 years with the Warriors.
I think that is part of Kuminga’s problem. The Ignite seem to be an afterthought for the NBA. There was a High School a quarter mile away that had better facilities. I can’t imagine they put to much effort into the coaching.
Just sign the qualifying offer and push the ball back in San Francisco’s court; they’re not going to budge.
So, nothing new.
Kuminga’s only leverage is the threat to take the QO, and that’s not much.
Last week of September we might see some progress.
Nothing is going to happen unless a huge injury occurs and a team is desperate.
Every year that you draft a #1 pick. You are looking and trying to work his talent into your team. The issue today is you are dealing with 18-19 yr olds. They haven’t developed their talents or skills yet. So if you are drafting best talent available. It doesn’t mean that talent. As it develops is going to be a good fit for your team.
Warriors weren’t able to do that with Wiseman or Kuminga. And both weren’t developed right. So that you can get real value back. It happens every year in NBA. The pressure to win now always gets in the way.
2020 draft was the worse draft to have a lottery pick. There was a lot of swings and misses by every club. Thanks to covid they had to pick players without test driving them. Wiseman has the inury bug if he can ever stay healthy he could be a good center but not great. In 2021 draft the warriors can claim they already wanted to pick Kuminga but I think that was a big fall back plan. I know they were hoping for Giddey who was picked right before Kuminga and Scottie Barnes was real high on their list. Only reason they passed on Wagner is they already had Wiseman.
Why would they pass on Wagner who is a SF when they had Wiseman who is a center?
Warriors thought they had enough tall players at the time.
Especially since Tyrese was the obvious 1 all along but slid all the way to 12.
The top 8 in VORP from that draft:
Hali 18.9
Edwards 12.3
Bane 10.3
Ball 9.1
Maxey 8.6
Quickley 6.7
Pritchard 5.8
Toppin 4.8
GSW could have had them all except Edwards.
Wow Grimes (8.7 mill) has a higher QO than Kuminga (7.9 mill). They were drafted same year. And Kuminga was taken #7. Grimes was taken #25. What’s wrong with this picture ….
And right now Kuminga is looked at as worth more than Grimes. Strange lols.
Nets should sign Grimes. Bring him back to NYC.
A question on that alleged 1+1 offer to Kuminga. If the Warriors give a small partial guarantee, say 3M, on the second year, does that negate the implied NTC?
No, not unless the second year is turned into a non-guaranteed/partially guaranteed year with no formal option.
Thanks, Luke. By formal option you mean no player or team option, just a partially guaranteed second year? I wonder if Kuminga would go for that.
To clarify:
Thanks, Luke, that clears it up for me.
I wish there was a way the W’s could get Daniel Gafford from the Mav’s!