Jonathan Kuminga Free Agency Drama

Free agency officially began today, yet one notable player who wasn’t mentioned at all was Jonathan Kuminga. The Golden State Warriors’ priority this offseason should be clear: either re-sign Kuminga or explore a sign-and-trade. The longer both sides delay in finalizing a deal, the more challenging the Warriors’ offseason will become. So far, the Warriors have been scarily inactive, with most of their alleged targets either signing extensions with their current teams or signing elsewhere. Currently, the Warriors sit at the very bottom in terms of cap space, and once they sign Kuminga, they’ll exceed the first apron. At that point, they’ll only have enough room to sign one player using the taxpayer mid-level exception, valued at approximately $5.6 million.

The Warriors remain committed to retaining Jonathan Kuminga, believing they can secure a better return by trading him rather than letting him walk in free agency. While Kuminga had a down year, averaging 15.4 points on 45% shooting and missing a significant portion of the season due to injuries, he still demonstrated considerable upside in the playoffs. Despite the drama surrounding Kuminga and the Warriors this past season, multiple teams have continued to show interest in him, with the Pelicans and Heat being the most notable suitors.

In other news, Deandre Ayton was recently bought out, and the Warriors have expressed strong interest in him, as he fits the profile of the big man they’ve been seeking for years. Ayton will clear waivers on Wednesday. If a deal with Kuminga can’t be finalized, it seems likely the Warriors will miss out on Ayton as well.