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Despite a few conversations between the two sides, the Golden State Warriors have generated no real traction toward a deal with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga in recent days and, as anticipated, he is expected to explore the market when it opens at 3 p.m. PT on Monday afternoon, league sources told The Athletic. The Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls remain the two likeliest outside suitors, league sources said.
The Heat were delivered an extra level of flexibility when Duncan Robinson opted out of his $19 million expiring contract on Sunday in search of a longer-term deal. Depending on how the market materializes and Miami’s ultimate pursuits, Robinson’s situation could find itself linked to Kuminga’s.
Multi-player, multi-team sign-and-trades have become more common with the new CBA and apron rules. The Warriors reworked Klay Thompson’s departure last summer into a six-team deal that brought them Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson back in return, a complicated balancing act that took until July 4 for all sides to pull together.
Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy has expressed a desire to find a resolution to the Kuminga situation “sooner rather than later,” but the dynamics make a swift resolution unlikely. There’s no urgency from the Kuminga side because the Warriors haven’t offered him anything appealing enough to jump without exploring all outside options and avenues, possibly waiting for a team and contract number to shake loose that might not be there right when the bell rings.
The Warriors’ front office will be stationed in Los Angeles at the start of free agency, as has been their recent custom. They quickly pursued De’Anthony Melton at the start of last summer’s free agency and, team sources said, they will be on the recruiting trail for veteran help again in the opening hours on Monday afternoon. Team sources have identified a stretch center as a high priority. Many in the league continue to link Al Horford to the Warriors as a preferred target.
If the Warriors use the taxpayer midlevel exception (projected at around $5.7 million) on Horford or another free agent, they’ll be hard-capped at the second apron, currently projected at $207.8 million. The Warriors currently have nine players under contract at $170.5 million. Kuminga’s qualifying offer, extended over the weekend by the Warriors, is $7.9 million, but his cap hold is $22.9 million, further clogging the Warriors’ books if his situation drags deeper into July.
(Photo of Kuminga: Noah Graham /NBAE via Getty Images)