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Agent: Jonathan Kuminga Willing To Accept Qualifying Offer

September 19th, 2025 at 8:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Appearing on the latest Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link), agent Aaron Turner said accepting the $8MM qualifying offer is a realistic option for restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga unless the Warriors‘ offers improve, relays Anthony Slater of ESPN.

“There’s a lot of upside,” Turner told the hosts. “He wants to pick where he wants to go. So the QO is real for sure.”

As Slater reported on Monday, Golden State recently engaged in another negotiating session with Kuminga and Turner, submitting its latest offer of $75.2MM over three years with a team option for the final season. That would give him two fully guaranteed seasons at a total of $48.3MM.

Earlier in the summer, the team offered a two-year, $45MM contract that contains a team option in the second season. The only offer without a team option limits his salary to $54MM over three years, an average of $18MM per season.

Kuminga has refused to accept any of those scenarios, but Turner said this week that he would be agreeable to the latest offer if the Warriors replace the team option with a player option. The team has refused to put a player option on the table, which is why Kuminga finds the QO so appealing. Although he would be playing for far below his market value for one season, Kuminga would become unrestricted next summer and would have the power to choose his next team.

“If (the Warriors) want to win now, if you want a guy that’s happy and treated fairly who is a big part of this team, we believe, moving forward, you give him the player option,” Turner said on the podcast. “You do lose a little of that trade value (giving that up). But if it’s about the here and now, you give him that. You don’t get a perfect deal, but you get a pretty good deal and he gets to feel respected about what he gets and we all move on and worry about winning, helping Steph (Curry).”

The Warriors’ offseason has been on hold while they work toward a solution with Kuminga. They reportedly have deals lined up with free agents Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II, but those can’t be finalized because using any portion of the mid-level exception would hard-cap the Warriors at the second apron. That creates the risk that another team could open enough cap room to give Kuminga an offer that Golden State wouldn’t be able to match.

“If JK wants to take (the qualifying offer), it does have upside, right?” Turner said. “We’ve talked about that. You’re not getting traded. You’re going to have unrestricted free agency (next summer). People are going to say, ‘Well, Aaron, there’s not going to be 10 or 12 teams (with cap space).’ Fine, there’ll be six teams with cap space for the clear-cut under-35 top wing on the market. So there’s a lot of upside.”

The Suns and Kings both expressed interest in Kuminga this summer before Golden State shut down sign-and-trade talks. Sacramento was reportedly offering a contract worth $63-66MM over three years, while Phoenix was willing to pay him between $80-88MM over four seasons. However, neither team made a trade offer that enticed the Warriors.

“He’s gotten a chance to hear from other teams,” Turner said. “You know, Sacramento, he’s spent some time with them, got to meet (general manager) Scott Perry, (head coach) Doug Christie, the Suns and what they’ve offered him. There’s been other teams, too, maybe planting seeds for (2026 or 2027). But they’re saying, ‘Hey, we want you to be you. We don’t want you to change anything. We want to put the ball in your hands. We want to give you a huge opportunity to play.'”

Turner added that Kuminga isn’t opposed to staying with the Warriors, but that would mean putting his personal ambitions aside, and Turner believes his client should be financially compensated for that decision. He called Golden State “as first-class as you get,” but pointed out that other teams would be giving Kuminga a chance to play full-time starter’s minutes, while staying put means he would be coming off the bench and battling for playing time with Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Horford.

“No guarantees he starts any games,” Turner said. “He may, but we don’t know. Finishing games, night to night, who knows? It depends if (coach Steve Kerr) has a combination he likes and it’s working. Maybe he sticks with it. Maybe he doesn’t. You’re going to have to not have the ball as much. You’re going to have to stay away from developing certain parts of your game, or wanting to lean into certain parts of your game, especially shooting any type of mid-range jump shots, which is something JK does work on. But in the Golden State offense and the role he’s in, that’s not going to be a big shot that he’s really going to be able to take much.”

With media day just 10 days away, there’s a growing urgency on both sides to get the matter resolved. Turner indicated that Kuminga would take the two-year offer if he’s allowed to keep an inherent no-trade clause that would come with it, but the team hasn’t budged on that point. He added that Kuminga would want to be compensated for accepting a team option — something in the neighborhood of $30MM per year.

“Two years from now, if you want to keep him, you’ll have his Bird rights (even if you give him a player option),” Turner said. “You treat him good and you show him the plan, then maybe you keep him. (The player option contract) is not perfect, but I don’t think anybody can get everything they really want.

“If you ask JK, he wants Jalen Green‘s deal. He’s not getting that. He wants Jalen Johnson‘s deal. You’re not getting that. If the Warriors, we feel like, pick the front end (of the contract), if that number needs to be lower to stay under a second apron, (it’s a) player option. Or if it’s about really controlling the back end of the deal, move the number up, shake your roster up and you can have a team option. Or, the hybrid model, let him keep his no-trade clause.”

Hornets Waive DaQuan Jeffries

September 18th, 2025 at 10:12am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Hornets have waived wing DaQuan Jeffries, Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer tweets. The team has confirmed the move (Twitter link).

Jeffries was signed through the 2026/27 season but his three-year contract was non-guaranteed for this season and next. His $2,743,776 salary for 2025/26 would have been fully guaranteed if he had remained on the roster through January 7.

The move wasn’t surprising. As we pointed out recently, waiving Jeffries was the most likely scenario to help deal with the team’s roster crunch. He was sent to Charlotte via the Knicks last October as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns multi-team blockbuster.

Jeffries, 28, appeared in a career-high 47 games, including 20 starts, last season. He averaged 6.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists while shooting 40.5 percent from the field and 33.5 percent beyond the arc. He has also had stints with Sacramento, Houston and Memphis. Overall, he has seen action in 111 NBA games.

Charlotte now has 20 players on its training camp roster, leaving one open spot ahead of the preseason. The Hornets still have 16 players on guaranteed deals and another on a non-guaranteed contract, so they still have some work to do to trim the roster to 15 by opening night.

Fear of Losing Kawhi Leonard Influenced Numerous Clippers’ Decisions

September 17th, 2025 at 6:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers have been operating under the fear of upsetting Kawhi Leonard and his representatives ever since he signed with the team in 2019, sources tell Baxter Holmes of ESPN.

Landing Leonard was viewed at the time as a major win for the franchise, but Holmes notes that it hasn’t completely worked out that way. Injury problems that began in San Antonio have persisted, leaving him available for just 58% of the games during his time with the Clippers, and the team only has three playoff series victories since Leonard’s signing.

In addition, Holmes states that the Clippers have been sued twice for alleged tampering violations since 2019, they’ve been fined at least twice for violations of league rules involving Leonard and they’ve been the subject of at least three NBA investigations, including the current probe of potential salary cap circumvention involving Leonard’s endorsement deal with Aspiration.

“This last investigation is different,” a former Clippers staffer told Holmes. “This one directly calls into question (owner) Steve Ballmer‘s character. At some point, Steve has got to get out of the Kawhi business.”

The Clippers learned during the 2019 free agency pursuit that life with Leonard would be complex. A source with knowledge of the negotiations tells Holmes that Leonard’s uncle, Dennis Robertson, submitted a list of demands that included part ownership of the team, access to a private plane, a house and guaranteed off-court endorsement money. The source adds that Robertson made the same demands to the Raptors, Leonard’s current team at the time, and the Lakers, who were also heavily involved in the bidding.

Another source tells ESPN that the Clippers didn’t agree to those demands because they weren’t permissible under the collective bargaining agreement, but they did acquiesce to other requests. When he first joined the team, Leonard was permitted to live in San Diego and commute to L.A. by helicopter. He was also allowed to skip certain media obligations and team community events, and he got to bring some of his own circle into the organization.

A team source denies those allegations, telling Holmes that Leonard’s camp never made some of the reported requests and others were mischaracterized.

Another demand from Robertson was a “strict protocol” on how team officials would talk about Leonard publicly, which meant saying nothing unless it was necessary. Doc Rivers, who was the team’s head coach at the time, ran afoul of that policy early in Leonard’s first season when he told reporters that Leonard “feels great” on a night that he sat out a game due to load management. The organization refused to elaborate and was fined $50K by the league, but its silence was seen as a show of loyalty by Leonard and his camp.

A former staffer indicated to Holmes that the Clippers were wary of alienating Leonard after seeing how quickly his relationship with the Spurs dissolved over an injury dispute.

“The Spurs were maybe the most respected, most revered pro sports team in America,” the ex-employee said. “It was like if this guy is willing to tell those people to go f— themselves, he can’t possibly be afraid to tell us to go f— ourselves. … Everybody was afraid of Kawhi leaving.”

Multiple sources indicated to Holmes that details about Leonard’s health were considered to be “sacred secrets.” News releases and social media posts that mentioned Leonard were reviewed by senior leadership before being distributed, and sometimes they were submitted to Leonard’s representatives for their approval. The sensitivity regarding Leonard’s physical condition and the fear of upsetting him led to tensions inside the organization.

“It caused extreme angst within the medical department,” another former staffer said. “It was like the Clippers’ medical staff wasn’t really allowed to touch Kawhi ever.”

The fear of Leonard’s departure seems to have lessened somewhat in recent years, Holmes adds. He was eligible for a four-year, $220MM extension entering the 2023/24 season, but he ultimately settled for a three-year deal at $153MM. Clippers officials were confident that Leonard would accept the reduced offer rather than pursue free agency, where suitors would have required a medical exam.

Leonard’s latest deal runs through the 2026/27 season, and Holmes reports that multiple general managers and other executives he spoke with expect it to mark the end of his time with the Clippers.

“They’re done building around (Kawhi),” a former staffer said. “They know that and he knows that.”

Latest On Jonathan Kuminga

September 17th, 2025 at 12:11pm CST by Luke Adams

After writing on Monday in a story co-reported with Shams Charania that the Warriors have made Jonathan Kuminga a three-year offer worth approximately $75MM with a third-year team option, ESPN’s Anthony Slater provided an update on those negotiations on Tuesday during an NBA Today appearance (Twitter video link).

“I actually talked to Aaron Turner, Jonathan Kuminga’s agent, this morning, and the messaging they’re adopting this week is ‘turn the TO to a PO and it’s done,'” Slater said. “… (The team option) on that three-year deal, if that’s suddenly a player option, not only will Jonathan Kuminga sign it, they’re saying, but he will be completely bought in on the mission that they’re asking of him, which is – using Turner’s messaging – to get Steph Curry and Draymond Green a fifth ring (and) Jimmy Butler his first ring.”

Reporting throughout the summer has indicated that Kuminga is seeking a contract that positions him to be more of a building block than simply a trade chip.

While the 22-year-old would prefer to be in a situation where his role is both more prominent and more defined, Slater’s report suggests he has expressed a willingness to re-sign with Golden State – where his playing time and responsibilities have been inconsistent – if he’s assured of a multiyear guarantee and the opportunity to reach the open market in two years.

“(Kuminga’s camp would view a third-year player option as) a show of goodwill…for what they’re calling ‘years of confusion’ over his role and a willingness to suppress some of his personal ambitions,” Slater said. “… (He would) accept what’s probably going to be a bench role, what’s probably going to be fluctuating minutes, and accepting what will very likely be a tradable contract.”

According to ESPN’s report on Monday, the Warriors’ only offer to Kuminga that hasn’t included a team option on the final year was a three-year proposal that averaged about $18MM annually. There would be little reason for the RFA forward to accept that offer over the version of the three-year deal that includes a team option and is worth closer to $25MM per year.

Signing the one-year, $8MM qualifying offer that comes with a no-trade clause and a path to 2026 unrestricted free agency remains an option for Kuminga until October 1 if he’s not satisfied with any of the team’s other offers.

Here’s more on Kuminga:

Golden State’s goal of maximizing cap flexibility for the summer of 2027 has been a factor in negotiations with Kuminga and in sign-and-trade talks, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. Given their desire to keep their options open for that offseason, the Warriors have been reluctant to give Kuminga a player option for 2027/28; it’s also one reason why the club isn’t eager to acquire Malik Monk, the centerpiece of the Kings‘ sign-and-trade offer for Kuminga, who has a player option worth $21.6MM for ’27/28.
The Kings are still under the impression that Kuminga wants to play for them, but the Warriors shut down sign-and-trade talks with Sacramento and the Suns earlier in the summer, says Amick. While it’s possible Golden State revisits those discussions at the 11th hour, league and team sources say a deal with either Pacific rival remains highly unlikely, Amick adds.
Keith Smith of Spotrac takes a closer look at the Kuminga standoff, exploring various potential outcomes and explaining the various factors each involved party is taking into account.

Nets Waive Keon Johnson

September 17th, 2025 at 9:35am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nets have waived Keon Johnson, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets.

Johnson appeared in 79 games with Brooklyn last season, including 56 starts. He averaged a career-best 10.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals in 24.4 minutes per contest.

However, Johnson’s playing time was expected to be reduced dramatically with restricted free agent Cam Thomas signing his qualifying offer and an influx of first-round rookies on the roster. Brooklyn also acquired another shooting guard, Kobe Bufkin, from Atlanta this week.

Johnson’s $2,349,578 was only guaranteed for $271,614. That partial guarantee would have increased to $760,520 if he had been on the team’s opening night roster.

As a result of waiving Johnson, the Nets now have 20 players on their camp roster. Ricky Council IV is still expected to sign with the team, having agreed to a deal at the start of August.

Johnson, who began his career with the Clippers and also had a stint with the Trail Blazers, will now become a free agent on Friday unless he’s claimed on waivers. The 6’5” wing was a first-round pick in 2021 out of Tennessee, but has struggled with his shooting during his young career, averaging 37.9% overall and 32.4% on three-point tries in 161 career games.

NBA Europe Could Launch As Early As 2027

September 17th, 2025 at 8:30am CST by Dana Gauruder

The new European basketball league backed by the NBA could begin play as early as 2027, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirmed on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press’ Stephen Whyno and Tim Reynolds.

NBA and FIBA are working together to launch NBA Europe.

Speaking at a conference hosted by Front Office Sports, Silver called a 2027 start “ambitious, no doubt about it,” but did not rule out that possibility. Existing arenas across Europe could be used when the initial launch occurs until more modern infrastructure is built up.

“I don’t think I’d want to go much longer than ’28,” Silver said. “The opportunity is now to do something like this.”

Silver and deputy commissioner Mark Tatum met this summer with United Kingdom prime minister Keir Starmer, among other government officials, along with various possible stakeholders regarding the new venture. Those meetings convinced Silver that NBA Europe would be successful.

“I would say I’m enthusiastic about it,” Silver said.

Early plans call for the new league to have 16 teams, though that number could change. Existing European clubs like Real Madrid, Fenerbahce Istanbul and Barcelona are likely to figure into the NBA’s plans for the new league, according to the AP.

A new British league that intends to launch in 2027 indicated in a recent press statement that it expects the NBA’s European league to begin at the same time, with franchises in London and Manchester, as Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.net relays.

“Basketball’s probably the fastest-growing sport in the world right now, and it’s a huge No. 2 sport in Europe behind soccer, so I think there’s a real opportunity,” Silver added.

Thunder Rookie Thomas Sorber Undergoes Season-Ending Knee Surgery

September 16th, 2025 at 7:11pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Thunder first-round pick Thomas Sorber underwent surgery on Tuesday to address a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, according to the team’s PR department (Twitter link via Rylan Stiles of SI.com).

The injury, which was revealed earlier this month, will sideline the big man out of Georgetown for the entire season. Sorber is expected to make a full recovery and be available for the 2026/27 season.

Sorber was the No. 15 pick in the June draft. He averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.0 blocks per game during his one-and-done season at Georgetown before a left foot injury that required surgery caused him to miss the latter part of 2024/25.

The big man is the second straight Oklahoma City first-round selection to be sidelined for his rookie year. Last season’s 12th overall pick, Nikola Topic, missed his debut season with an ACL injury of his own.

The Thunder will now have to wait another season to see what Sorber can provide them on the floor, though they have plenty of on-court insurance this season in Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams.

Sorber signed his rookie scale contract in early July at a four-year total of $22.51MM. His deal is guaranteed for the first two seasons, with team options on years three and four.

Knicks Sign Jemison, McCullar, Evbuomwan To Two-Way Deals

September 16th, 2025 at 4:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

4:30pm: The Knicks have officially signed Jemison and McCullar to two-way deals, the team’s PR department tweets (Twitter links). Additionally, NBA.com’s transaction log lists Evbuomwan’s deal as a two-way contract, despite the Knicks announcing it as an Exhibit 10.

4:00pm: The Knicks have reached two-way contract agreements with big man Trey Jemison and forward Tosan Evbuomwan, SNY’s Ian Begley reports (Twitter links).

The Knicks will enter training camp with all three two-way slots filled, as Kevin McCullar Jr. is expected to return on another two-way deal, Begley adds. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype confirms that McCullar will sign his two-way qualifying offer (Twitter link).

New York worked out Jemison on Monday and obviously the front office and coaches liked what they saw. Jemison signed a two-year, two-way contract in January with the Lakers and remained on their roster for the rest of the season, but was waived in July.

The 25-year-old center had some productive moments in his 22 games with Los Angeles, averaging 2.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per night while shooting 61.9% from the field. He also spent time with New Orleans during the 2024/25 season and had brief stints with Washington and Memphis in ’23/24.

Overall, Jemison has 63 games of NBA experience (14 starts), averaging 4.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 15.3 minutes per game. Jemison, 25, went undrafted out of UAB in 2023.

The Knicks have been busy finalizing their camp roster and announced a handful of other contract signings on Monday, including an Exhibit 10 contract with Evbuomwan. They’ve apparently decided to upgrade that move regarding Evbuomwan.

Evbuomwan had been on a two-way deal with the Nets in 2024/25. Brooklyn waived the 6’8″ British combo forward in August.

After going undrafted out of Princeton in 2023, the former Ivy League Player of the Year linked up with the Pistons’ G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, to start his pro career. Evbuomwan signed a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies, then joined Detroit on a 10-day deal, later agreeing to a two-way contract. He started 2024/25 with the Clippers’ NBAGL club, the San Diego Clippers, before inking a two-way deal with Brooklyn in January.

In 28 games with Brooklyn last season, the 24-year-old averaged 9.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.9 steals per contest, with a shooting line of .427/.312/.753.

Hawks Trade Kobe Bufkin To Nets

September 16th, 2025 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

September 16: The trade is official, according to announcements from both teams. The Nets waived big man David Muoka in order to open up a spot on the 21-man roster for Bufkin.

September 15: The Hawks and Nets have agreed to a trade that will send former first-round pick Kobe Bufkin from Atlanta to Brooklyn in exchange for cash considerations, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The Hawks will acquire $110K in cash, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

The 15th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Bufkin has battled injuries since entering the NBA. He missed a significant chunk of his rookie year due to a fractured left thumb and a sprained toe, then underwent season-ending shoulder surgery into December 2024, less than two months into his second season.

In total, the 6’4″ guard made just 27 appearances for the Hawks, averaging 5.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 11.9 minutes per night, with a .374/.220/.654 shooting line. Bufkin – who will turn 22 on Sunday – has more upside than he’s been able to show so far, so the Nets will take a chance on him in the hopes that he’ll have better health luck going forward.

Brooklyn has more than enough cap room to take on Bufkin’s $4.5MM salary for this season, which will push the team over the minimum salary floor, at least for now. His rookie scale contract also includes a $6.9MM team option for 2026/27 — the Nets will have to make a decision on that option by October 31.

While the Nets are in a good position to roll the dice on Bufkin from a salary cap perspective, adding him to the mix will exacerbate a looming roster crunch. Once the deal is official, Brooklyn will be carrying 15 players on guaranteed salaries and four on partially guaranteed or non-guaranteed salaries. The team also intends to add Ricky Council IV to the latter group. A number of those players will have to be waived or traded in order for the Nets to set their 15-man regular season roster next month.

Brooklyn still has roughly $11.6MM in cap room for now, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, though the club could increase that figure by waiving some of those players with non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed contracts. The Nets would be in danger of falling back below the minimum salary floor in that scenario and will want to make sure they’re above that threshold by opening night.

The Hawks, meanwhile, will generate a $4.5MM trade exception as a result of the deal, generating a little extra financial flexibility below the luxury tax line and opening up another roster spot for one of their camp invitees to compete for.

With Bufkin no longer in the mix, Atlanta will have just 10 players on fully guaranteed salaries, plus Vit Krejci and N’Faly Dante on partial guarantees, Mouhamed Gueye on a non-guaranteed contract, and Caleb Houstan, Charles Bassey, and Kobe Johnson on Exhibit 10 deals.

Knicks Confirm Several Signings, Plan To Add Alex Len

September 16th, 2025 at 12:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Having carried just 12 players on their roster since July, the Knicks began officially filling out their 21-man preseason squad on Tuesday.

After signing Dink Pate and Bryson Warren to Exhibit 10 contracts, the team officially announced five more previously reported deals, confirming that Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet have signed their Exhibit 9 contracts (Twitter links), while Mohamed Diawara, Garrison Mathews, Tosan Evbuomwan have finalized Exhibit 10 agreements (all Twitter links).

Reports late last week indicated that Mathews, Shamet, and Brogdon were signing non-guaranteed contracts with the Knicks. Evbuomwan’s deal was reported on Monday, while James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link) stated earlier today that Diawara would be getting an Exhibit 10 contract.

The Knicks aren’t done making roster additions. According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link), the team has also reached a training camp agreement with veteran center Alex Len, who was working out for New York this week.

The fifth overall pick in the 2013 draft, Len has been in the NBA for 12 seasons, primarily as a backup big man. In 2024/25, he appeared in 46 total games for the Kings and Lakers and played a very modest role, averaging just 1.6 points and 2.1 rebounds in 8.3 minutes per night.

There has been no formal announcement yet regarding Len or veteran wing Matt Ryan, who is expected to re-sign with the Knicks on a non-guaranteed deal. The club also has a two-way qualifying offer on the table for Kevin McCullar Jr.

With 19 players now officially under contract, there’s not enough room for New York to sign Len, Ryan, and McCullar without making a cut, but more shuffling of players on and off the roster figures to occur in the coming days and weeks.

Pate and Warren will probably be the first players waived and appear likely to end up with the Westchester Knicks in the G League. Brogdon, Shamet, and Mathews are expected to be competing for a regular season roster spot — it’s possible Ryan and Len could be involved in that competition too, though they look like longer shots to make the team.

Diawara has an inside track for a standard roster spot because of the Knicks’ hard-cap situation, which requires them to carry a drafted rookie on a minimum-salary contract if they don’t shed salary in a trade. Evbuomwan, meanwhile, is a candidate to have his Exhibit 10 contract converted into a two-way deal.

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