As the Warriors‘ standoff with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga extends into late August, the team remains “very confident” about its ability to eventually sign free agent center Al Horford, Jake Fischer said in his latest Bleacher Report live stream on Wednesday (YouTube link; hat tip to Dallas Hoops Journal).
As Fischer outlines, Horford is among several veteran free agents who have expressed a willingness to be patient in waiting for resolution on Kuminga and have been “in full communication” with the Warriors’ front office.
Pointing to veterans like De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, Seth Curry, and perhaps even Malcolm Brogdon as candidates to end up in Golden State, Fischer suggests that those players would likely receive minimum-salary contracts if they sign with the Warriors, whereas Horford would probably be in line for a more lucrative deal.
“Al Horford’s situation is a bit different,” Fischer said. “Because, depending on where the Warriors land in a cap/tax situation, I believe he is slated to make upwards of the full taxpayer mid-level exception. There has also been some discussion about whether or not he could potentially be receiving a two-year deal with a player option as well.”
Fischer adds that the Warriors envision Horford having a “pretty major role” in their rotation. That lines up with previous reporting from ESPN’s Anthony Slater, who has indicated that the 40-year-old would likely slot in as the team’s starting center.
Using any portion of the mid-level exception would hard-cap the Warriors at the second tax apron — that could put them at risk of losing Kuminga, since a rival suitor could look to open up cap room to sign the RFA forward to an offer sheet Golden State wouldn’t be able to match. As a result, the Warriors are putting off the rest of their offseason business until they either re-sign or sign-and-trade Kuminga and have a clearer picture of their cap situation.
Depending on what happens with Kuminga, the Warriors should have either the taxpayer or even a portion of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception available to them.
For instance, if Kuminga accepts the rumored two-year, $45MM offer Golden State has put on the table, the club would be roughly $14.9MM below the second apron with 10 players under contract and would have the ability to offer Horford the full $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception while still filling out the rest of its roster with minimum-salary players.
If Kuminga were to sign his $7.98MM qualifying offer, Golden State would have about $17MM in breathing room below the first apron and could theoretically go a little above the taxpayer portion of the MLE to sign Horford. But that would result in a first-apron hard cap, which the front office may look to avoid.
Fischer warns that Kuminga’s free agency may remain unresolved well into September, since the deadline to accept his qualifying offer won’t arrive until October 1.
Oh now I understand why big Al will move across the country to be on a good but not great team. Figured he was ganna be on a much smaller deal and it never made much sense to me. 25mil would keep me out of retirement as well.
What did I miss? Where are you reading 25 million for Al Horford?
Oh I misread it. I thought it said FULL midlevel (14mil) for potentially 2 years. It was FULL TAXPAYER midlevel (5.7mil) for potentially 2 years. So now I am back to being confused as to why Al is going to San Fran. Guess he just wants to hang out with a bunch of players his own age.
Yeah, I guess it comes down to his options? You would think he would have quite a few, but I guess there could be something behind the scenes as far as recruiting big Al to SF ?
I don’t know this, but perhaps just as Andre Iguodala has benefited from business opportunities in the Bay Area, it could be career direction, post basketball for Horford ? Who knows.
Purely basketball reasons are unclear to me that’s for sure.
As far as an opportunity to win a ring, it seems like only young teams are locks to be competitive so choosing an older team you might have to go with the Warriors as your only option?
Who am I missing as an older team who needs a big man for 30+ minutes and 50 games plus playoffs? There’s probably an obvious team or two I’m overlooking.
Well Denver jumps to mind. He could play the 4, Gordon slides to 3, Johnson to the 2. That sounds like a pretty devastating line-up. The clippers need front court depth and have salary space. There is that other LA team, but NFW.
So yeah I guess the choices are limited. But is taking the minimum in boston really that much worse than Golden state? Guess so.
I think big Al tried playing the four with Joel Embiid and it didn’t work out. But yup, Denver definitely could use him even though they have the Joker at the five.
My guess is that it’s a punt year in Boston unless they catch lightning in a bottle. That’s possible because I really like Derek White’s game and Jaylen Brown is capable of carrying a team in my opinion. Pritchard has stepped up as well.
Clips have Zubac so I think the attraction with the Warriors is that they really need him and he’ll have massive impact for them. He won’t be an “additional” big man like with other squads. He’ll be the ONLY big man lol
He is going to be a big part of rotation. A rotation that needs him, his size and game. He is at end of career. Always good to feel wanted. No one is paying him 5.7 mill a year at this point. Why wouldn’t he go to a contender that fits his game.
Feels like warriors gonna be racked w injuries all year
Definitely a possibility when the average age is senior citizen qualified.
As long as it isn’t Curry. If Curry was healthy vs T-wolves they could have won that series.
arc.., stop with the “IF.”
There is no “if.”
Besides that, the Warriors have been the beneficiaries of a lot of IF’s the last 15 years and four championships.
If Chris Paul, if Ja Morant, etc.
No “if.”
Every team has a lot of ifs every year they win a championship. Curry is so valuable to warriors playoffs hopes. No Curry no playoffs.
What do you mean? There’s only like 8 players on the roster right now.
Feels like clippers gonna be racked w injuries all year
Yup that’s true. No curry no playoffs. Hope he continues to do what he does this coming season.
But there’s no if should’ve could’ve would’ve against the wolves. Next man up that’s all there is to it.
Kuminga will take the QO right before pre season starts. He is just waiting for hope that some team has a big injury before the season and they desperately need a scorer. No reason to talk about trades until the season begins.
Sounds about right. The options are few at this point.
Better to just have him play out the season than take a bad trade of players they don’t want.
Bad players and even more importantly, avoid bad contracts.
There are multiple reported handshake deals with Horford and Melton. Curry wants GP2 there, but GSW does not. So thats yes on Horford+Melton, and maybe on GP2, Seth Curry and Brogdon – those 3 are just like every other free agent out there, maybe they will sign with GSW, maybe they won’t.
Butler, Kuminga and Toohey’s draft rights to Houston for Durant and Adams or Capela
A really good team (top 8), but not a title contender (top 4 to 5).
With curry they just need a playoff spot..but that window is getting smaller