Free agent guard Dalano Banton has received interest from teams overseas but continues to seek an NBA opportunity after spending the past season-and-a-half in Portland, Marc Stein writes for The Stein Line (Substack link).
According to Stein, Banton has recently auditioned for multiple NBA teams, including the Warriors and Pacers, though Indiana decided to pass on him.
Banton, who was traded from the Celtics to the Trail Blazers at the 2024 deadline, has since appeared in 97 games for Portland, averaging 10.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 20.6 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .399/.319/.751. He has been an unrestricted free agent since his contract expired on June 30.
Here’s more from Stein:
- The Jazz and Kevin Love have yet to engage in serious discussions about a buyout, per Stein. While it’s “widely known” that Love would like to play for a team closer to contention, it doesn’t sound as if he has a post-buyout spot lined up yet, Stein explains, so there has been no urgency to get out of his contract with Utah.
- Stein reiterates that the expectation around the NBA is that veteran free agents Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, and Gary Payton II will sign with the Warriors once Jonathan Kuminga‘s situation is resolved. According to Stein, the latest round of negotiations between the Warriors and Kuminga has “sparked some fresh optimism” that both he and those other vets will be signed prior to the team’s media day on September 29.
- After FIBA Europe president Jorge Garbajosa predicted that the NBA’s new European league could tip off in 2027, Stein says his own reporting suggests Garbajosa’s timetable may not be exact but also isn’t far off.
- Although Isaac Bonga‘s NBA exit clause for 2025 expired, he drew interest from a few teams earlier in the summer, according to Stein, who says Bonga committed to spending the coming season with Partizan Belgrade after not getting a concrete offer from any of those clubs. Stein anticipates Bonga will receive more serious NBA interest next offseason.
For the haters and the crybabies ….
This has been stated after the Thunder won the Title. I have been saying this since the draft when Kuminga wasn’t moved then. He will sign QO now. And will be moved as soon as possible. So Warriors will have. Horford, Melton, Payton, plus what they get for Kumings in a trade. This is what the Warriors want. Kuminga is gone Oct 1, in 16 days. Start counting
So get ready for the River of Tears for Kuminga. There will be a new river in San Francisco ….
“Stein reiterates that the expectation around the NBA is that veteran free agents Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, and Gary Payton II will sign with the Warriors once Jonathan Kuminga‘s situation is resolved.”
Kuminga still has love for the haters. He asked me to play this for you……. sniffle 🤧 sniffle
link to youtu.be
What hate? Why does there need to be so much drama. He can’t be traded until January. Umm…They couldn’t move him on draft day. He didn’t have contract. Kinda hard to do that. And the QO made that even harder.
It’s funny how delusional they are in trade talks for a guy they clearly don’t want
So, you must believe that the Rockets were hoodwinked when they traded for Durant. The Suns were trying to trade him for months. They got a nice haul.
Why are they delusional? Nobody made them 1 good offer. So far its better to release him then take on bad contracts for him.
You get a guy who was a lotto pick last year and a future first
That’s plenty
You got a problem their Skippy. Kuminga would be barely making more than the QO. Why Kuminga agree to that? The Warriors had Dario Saric, they don’t want back. They might never see that heavily protected 1st. So, why agree to that?
The warriors can only take back half of whatever they pay him in a s&t
BYC rules
Carter is making $5 million a year. That means Kuminga would get a contract of $10 million. Kuminga would easily reject that.
the guy who was a lotto pick last year is not a good NBA player. He has no shooting ability. It was 2nd round pick not a 1st round pick the kings offered.
“What hate?”
Heloooooooo
I know you won’t respond. But, what hate? The long drawn out drama gets tiresome. Why let it drag out for so long? Explain how this is helping him out?
Ignore him he just wants to play games. He post so much troll type post to just get warrior fans mad.
HR is littered with posts hating on Kuminga for two yrs now. They can all be pulled up. It’s not just crybaby fans. Its also fans who don’t like him. Or don’t like the fact he wants a big contract. Or think he hasn’t earned it. It will all be over soon. So all of you should be happy.
Exageration 100%. Most warrior fans been waiting for his break out year praising him.
@arc89, “most” but not you. You have been hating on him pretty much every day for more than a year.
@easy That is a lie. So now you just make up things. Is this a burner account by another person?? I am guessing whose burner account this is. I don’t even blame Kuminga for the mess but his agent who has created it. If you have follwed any of my comments I have blamed his terrible agent. Next time get a better burner account OK KA
Yeah specially you lok. Just proved my point.
@KnickerbockerAl Let me improve that for you.
“HR is littered with WARRIORS fans hating on Kuminga for two yrs now.”
It’s not all Warriors fans. But the haters are why fans from other teams are calling us “crybabies”.
Crybabies speaks for it self. Pointing it out is just that. You should look up street definition of hating.
Actually…This is a much better fit.link to youtu.be
Tony’s yearning fits you better.
“Hate” is a mighty strong word for disagreement and serves to raise ire, inflame emotions, and dumb down dialogue. I usually agree with your takes Knick, but I disagree with you on this one. Hate you or your ‘take’? Not close.
@Meadowlark Chill. This is the 21 st century.
Hater. Hate. They are just terms sports fans use for players they don’t like. It’s not personal.
I recognize the use of the words “hate/hater” are simply exaggerations, but it seems to me that in anything resembling a serious discussion the distinction between hate/hater, and disagreeing is significant. What if someone really means to say they hate something or someone? If the distinction is ignored we look like the classic knuckle dragging sports fans that so many people hate, er dislike, uh, you know what I mean. ;)
No disrespect to anyone, but I agree with you Meadowlark.
Words mean things, and just because the youth have adopted words to fit their narrative and re-definition, doesn’t mean it’s right or that we should adopt the practice.
Hate is a real word that means something and so is hater. To throw those around loosely I think is a mistake.
@GaryRedSoxxWarriors You always try to be reasonable. I appreciate it. But you’re taking it too far. Being a sports fan is all about passion. The words mean something different when we’re acting like fans.
If I say “I love Steph Curry” you know what I mean. I passionately like him as a player. If I told you “Don’t say I hate LeBron James because hate is a bad word” you would tell me that’s politically correct BS. Wokeness.
@Meadowlark I don’t like the expression but that is the definition of politically correct.
This is a sports board. Fans want to talk like fans. Nobody really hates anybody personally here.
There are other places to say you hate somebody personally. Like Twitter. We come here to get away from it.
@easy Al post stuff like that just to get a reaction out of warrior fans. He does it on purpose to put down warrior fans. Just ignore his posts when he does it.
No I due it cause most you have continuously cried about Kuminga situation. Even on this post right now. Most don’t want Kuminga. But want double the value. Most don’t want to pay him. But don’t want another team to pay him. You. Defend the Warriors when They clearly have handled Kuminga wrong.
Thats crying, petulant behavior. Just the Truth
Whilst your take here is spot on…
This Warriors fanboy issue is no different to the Lakers or Knicks..
Double the value for a player just because they wore a certain jersey… Or player X will definitely sign during free agency…
The Warriors brand of exceptionalism is just newer than the other 2… So is still in the annoying puppy stage, not the can’t teach old dogs new tricks stage…
@easymoney I asked you this before. When have I ever said I “hate” Kuminga? You keep saying I do. Pointing out things he has to work on is not “hate”. Every player has things they have to work on. The NBA is terrible in this respect.
@Giants74 Get serious. Your posts speak for themselves.
@easy You are being vague. Can you be specific? Every player has things to work on. How is it hate to say that?
@ giants74 Its a burner account you are replying to
You have to wonder why they go to these great lengths to do this.
Its control issues they have. Its strange how this same person accuses warrior fans of hating on Kuminga. When nobody been hating on Kuminga just stating facts that his defense is not all star level. There is many players not all star level defense.
I don’t see a lot of hate on Kuminga just people pointing out he needs to earn his contract. Even NBA GMs don’t think Kuminga is worth $30 million a year that he wants.
I have a couple of thoughts for you.
1st. I think this is more about SF and the Warriors and less about Kuminga. It brings out more trolls. The politics these days, and this is not about sides, make for more hostility. My evidence for that. Look at how many articles on hoopsrumors get no comments, maybe 75%. Look how many comments a Warriors article get, easily 15+. Basketball is supposed to be popular than Baseball. Every article there easily gets 15 comments and very little hostility. Granted, there are more transactions in the MLB. But, it is kinda striking.
2nd. The Lakers are supposed to have cap space next season. I have looked at few of their fan sites, and they don’t want Kuminga. Interestingly, one site said they should go after Devin Carter. I thought that was amusing.
the warriors are probably the most popular team around the world right now. If you been to any games you would notice there are fans from all over the world that go to the games. Curry is like a national hero in Asia. That is why there is so many articles about teh warriors.
I take any fan trade at boards as nothing more than what the fans want. Kuminga needs to prove he is worth all that money. If he was so wanted by other GMs they would be making offers for him. Warriors would trade him right now if they got playable players and a 1st rounder.
i do agree with many pundits that the relationship is unrepairable at this time. I just hope Lacob is not the one holding up a trade offer. If Kuminga agent want a no trade clause it shows he has no intention of signing a deal.
I met a guy from Portugal and the main he wanted to do when visiting SF was see where Curry plays.
I agree with you. Why wait a whole season to acquire a player when you can have him now?
Monte Poole felt that Kuminga’s shooting troubles last season where because he was pressing due to the contract. Another season of contract squabbling will not help him. It might make his value even less.
If he signs the QO he can not be traded. The Warriors are stuck with him and vice versa for the year. The Warriors lose an “asset” at the end of the year he is a free agent, he looses his Bird Rights, but he can go anyplace with Cap Space. He starts to re-establish Bird Rights with his new team. About 8 to 10 teams will have space. He’s betting one of them will want him. He is truly a free agent, he gets to play where ever he wants. Unless the Warriors offer a two year deal with a player option for year 2 he signs the QO. He does not want to play for the Warriors, he’s stuck for one more year. If he signs the two year deal with team option he gets traded and is stuck for the remainder of the upcoming year and next year with a team and a location that may not be on his wish list. He’s not going that route. Everyone thinks this is about money, in this case that is secondary to a team, location in 1 year. Know your audience. The Warriors should have done a sign and trade with Sacramento, got a pick and Monk. Get something.
There maybe 8-10 teams who will have cap space. But, Kuminga has some pretty steep demands.
I like what you’ve written. Makes hundred percent sense.
But the trade options have not been good. Monk has three more years of pretty big money for his position as a back up combo guard.
That would cripple the Warriors and any chance for navigating the cap and players they desire.
You would trade one guy you don’t like for another guy you really don’t like lol.
Are you really an adult. The QO only means he has to get traded. Or Warriors will loose him for nothing at end of year. They are not letting the that happen. God why would you want a guy you hate. Insufferable lol.
I’m really a kid in an adult body so the answer to your question is yes and no lol
But I thought that I’ve been reading here that the QO means he has no trade language in that contract? Veto rights I guess? I’m not sure what’s right anymore.
This is the new NBA issue…
Making too much money…
Once you are guaranteed 100+ million whatever your choice is it becomes far less about money and far more about what would make the player happy…
Kuminga can see himself be more than a background piece on a Warriors team… And obviously feels misused there…
> If he signs the QO he can not be traded.
What do you mean by that? He would have the right to reject a trade, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be traded. He and his agent have talked to every team in the league about their interest, and they have a list.
The Warriors would trade JK by the trade deadline to one of these teams, otherwise they get nothing when season ends. There will be plenty of interest because he’s a steal at $8M. Kuminga and his agent will insist on a team he is comfortable with and will not approve a trade he intends to leave at end of season. There are rumors of an understanding with the Lakers.
The issue is that the new team won’t have Bird Rights either. The new team would have to sign him next year with cap space. Why give up the assets now when it doesn’t allow you to offer more later to keep him?
Signing the QO makes him have to be signed with cap space, except for the team he ends the year with. If I were on JK’s team, I might tell GS that if they give him a limited no trade clause, like 5-7 teams that he would approve at the time of signing and maybe up to 10 closer to the deadline, he would sign for the 2 year with team option. More years, fewer teams on the trade list.
Strange thing is his agents have not allowed him to talk to teh warriors but other teams. They finally had a sit down talk but it sounds like his agent filled his head with a lot of things. Just a horrible agent.
> Strange thing is his agents have not allowed him to
> talk to teh warriors but other teams… it sounds like
> his agent filled his head with a lot of things.
How can you possibly know any of those things? Here’s what we do know for certain:
1. Steve Kerr announced publicly after the season that the Warriors weren’t a good fit and that Kuminga would never start as long as he was coach. That’s not his agent talking.
2. He personally talked with the Warriors in person multiple times since June, including a sit-down with Kerr in Las Vegas at the summer league.
they were talking about it on ESPN and how the agent wouldn’t allow him to talk to the warriors until this month. He was allowed to talk to other teams.
1. I do not post fake stuff here but everytime I post something you question it. Maybe start watching NBA today or other outlets instead of accusing people of lying.
2.
There is no public reporting that Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr spoke to Jonathan Kuminga specifically in June 2025. However, Kerr and the team were in contact with Kuminga’s camp throughout the offseason regarding his contract situation, with reports indicating Kerr’s position on Kuminga’s future.
3. While there were no reported June conversations, Kerr reportedly assured Kuminga later in the offseason that he would have a substantial role to begin the 2025-2026 season
@arc89 said
> There is no public reporting that Golden State Warriors coach
> Steve Kerr spoke to Jonathan Kuminga specifically in June 2025.
I didn’t say “in June 2025”, I said “since June 2025”. And, you are, again, stating as fact something that the public reporting says is false. I’m assuming you don’t have the NY Times subscription, so here is a Reddit link that refers to that article, mentioning the early **JULY** Las Vegas meeting with Kuminga and Kerr.
link to reddit.com
What Kerr said is that Kuminga will play behind Jimmy, Draymond, and a center. As in, he will come off the bench. That is a “substantial” role. But Kuminga doesn’t want to come off the bench. That is the point.
Your point is??? It said discussed a sit down talk. They didn’t speak to Kuminga until this month. There is 0 reported meetings between kerr and Kuminga in July. Kuminga, his agent, and Warriors management met in Miami on August 11, but Kerr was not present.
@arc89. Since you insist on misrepresenting me, I’ll quote from an article directly:
“According to ClutchPoint’s Brett Siegel, Kuminga and his representatives met with Golden State last week at the start of the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.”
“The update I got was that things went as expected: No deal, but an understanding of what everything is looking like,” Siegel wrote on X.
link to heavy.com.
@arist…ClutchPoints is considered an unreliable source for sports rumors, particularly when it comes to breaking news. It is more of a content aggregator that re-posts information from other, more credible sources and social media posts, often without proper attribution.
Can you provide another source? There are very conflicting reports on it. He is the only person that claimed there was a meeting.
It was widely reported, starting with Slater in the NY Times. Like I originally told you.
BTW, Brett Siegel is a trusted Hoopsrumors source. If you don’t trust him, how can you cite anything on this site.
Strange that when I looked it up he was the only one that claimed it. Only thing i found about Slater is that they could have face to face meeting in Vegas. there is also mixed messages about their relationship. Some articles state there is no problems between the 2 both others say that his agent thinks its better for him to have a new start.
@arc89 There must be a conspiracy out there with these reporters telling lies just to prove you’re wrong.
@arist I do enjoy the funny trade rumors today. Warriors are going after Zach Levine or Myles Turner, or Jermi Grant. Those were fun. The other one that claimed the warriors do not want to give Kuminga a long term deal because they are saving payroll for Giannis. When did the sporting news become one of the worse rumor sites on the internet???
Anthony Slater, NY Times, Brett Siegel
vs
@arc89 with zero evidence to the contrary
Sounds like a tough call.
I remember hearing about a possible meeting in Vegas. Never heard any results. So, don’t know if it actually happened.
Please cite an article where Steve Kerr said that Kuminga will never start for the Warriors. I can’t find one. If you have one, please cite it. He did say that is difficult to find a winning lineup with Kuminga and their current roster. They also don’t like that he doesn’t pass to the open man and will take bad shots.
Critical thinking summary: when a coach says you will play behind the named starters and that you’re not a 38 mpg guy, that means you’re not a starter. (If you’re still struggling to put it together, maybe listen to how the national media interpreted it.)
In the Kawakami interview, Kerr said that Kuminga will play behind Jimmy, Draymond, and a starting center. As in, Kuminga will come off the bench. And, Kerr mentioned that would be the case for as long as Jimmy and Draymond were around. Kerr indicated Kuminga can have a “substantial” role. But Kuminga doesn’t want to come off the bench, so that kind of “substantial” is not enough.
Kerr also said that he doesn’t see Kuminga “as a 38 minute per game player”. That was obviously a direct reference to criticism in the national media over why he wouldn’t start or play Kuminga heavily in the 2nd round, even when Kuminga was the Warriors best player. As in, to paraphrase, “I don’t care how well Kuminga appears to be playing to others, I don’t agree.”
When was the interview? Are you talking about the playoffs last season? It made sense then. Nobody knows what the coming season will bring. Hell, Draymond voluntarily gave up his starting role on ’24. So, it kinda difficult to say what will definitively will happen.
> When was the interview.
May 22, 2025. After the season ended. And, after contract discussions had begun.
Kerr openly acknowledged that his opinions and interests as coach were different than the front office and ownership’s. He’s got 1 year left on his contract.
It was not what Dunkeavey and Lacob wanted Kerr to do. Dunleavey called a press conference to address it the next week. Lacob told Slater, THompson, and Kawakami to say he didn’t agree but that Kerr had the right to his opinion. Even Draymond called a podcast the following week to try to repair the situation.
Organizational dysfunction. But it’s rooted in a lame duck coach with a huge ego.
I think you are conflating and exaggerating things. NBA teams couldn’t talk to their free agents for another month. There are always internal disagreements in any sports FO. That doesn’t make them dysfunctional. There hasn’t been any talk of Kerr’s imminent retirement. There is speculation as to when it might happen. Lots of coaches are on one or two year deals. And Dunleavy press conference is an annual thing. Every team, in every sport has an end of season press conference.
I think you are once again talking with the clear intention of misrepresenting what I said. Which is why I normally mute you.
In any case, if you think Kerr’s comments weren’t damaging, then you have been ignoring all the reporting.
You misrepresent what I say all the time. I could careless if you mute me.
After how the team responded to the Butler addition, why would he guarantee the Kuminga is a starter next season? That’s why they have training camps.
> Why give up the assets now when it doesn’t allow
> you to offer more later to keep him?
You wouldn’t have to give up much because the Warriors would have very little leverage, but you’d do it for 2 reasons:
1. You get 1 year of service for a $25M/yr player for $8M.
2. You should be able to retain Kuminga at a fair price. Kuminga wants to be traded to the team he signs with this summer. You should be able to establish the framework for that deal before the trade.
It’ll feel like robbery when it happens. The Warriors will look humiliated. But they’ll have no choice. Basically, the Warriors will get an $8M expiring deal and a second round pick for Kuminga.
@NewtonThird, I think you’re correct that getting a deal done comes down to some creative compromise around the trade veto thing.
The problem with naming the eligible teams in advance is that the situation changes so much by the trade deadline. But it’s a step in the right direction.
I imagine most of you here are adults. And can use a computer or your phones to get all this information. Although I do question your maturity. All the info is out there for you. Why are you debating the same BS over and over again like the info is going to magically change. The cap makes a sign n trade impossible. If you want to sign three players. You have already seen the offers. Only ONE thing can happen before QO. A sign n trade to a team he prefers. Cause if he doesn’t like the team, situation. Then he just won’t sign the contract. That simple. Then Warriors would need to open up more cap room to sign those players. Plus you lose your midlevel deal. And won’t be able to sign Horford
Signing the QO gives him the power to go where he wants. Then when traded can sign a new contract with new team. A contract he agrees to of course. Warriors could have avoided all this nonsense. Just by trading him at draft. They Knew their cap situation.
Why do you think they went after those three players. They are fits and additions for Warriors. Stop crying and be thankful you will add real help. Its like a good trade for Kuminga. Knicks had to give up Grimes to resign Brunson….. sacrifices have to be made. You still can get a nice rotation prayer and pick for Kuminga. Think positive omg ….
“ Yes, Jonathan Kuminga can be traded by the Warriors after signing his qualifying offer, but he would hold a no-trade clause, giving him full control over the transaction. This means the Warriors could send him to another team, but Kuminga would have the power to veto the trade, making it unlikely unless he agrees to the destination. He would also become an unrestricted free agent in 2026.”
link to google.com
Getting Horford, Melton, Payton, player (s) for one player Kuminga. Is a good trade off imo. Stop crying.
I would love for Knicks to steal Horford away from Warriors …….. still time lol.
Knicker. he’s not going QO. They’re very close to a deal.