NBA Free Agency — 2025 Edition

[gambitx777]

Kuminga would be not all that different from adding Ace Bailey, tbh. Could work out great, could end up getting Grundled.

I think it depends on how he gets here. If he just ends up here on the full MLE. A++✓Ultra
If we have to do a sign and trade it depends on what we give up. If it's that GS first we have and contacts ok. Probably can make that ok.
Kispert and holmes and that fake ish first
Or smart, gill and that first
I dont think paying him more than mid 20s and declining is a bad idea.

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[DCZards]

Kuminga is a 22 yr old with a ton of potential who has been largely underutilized in GS, imo. If the Zards can get him for a combo of vets like CJ, Middleton, KO or even Kispert (as Nate has suggested) and signed to a reasonable contract I’d be all over it.

I might even consider giving up that 2029 FRP we got from Portland for Deni.

[DCZards]

From a Yahoo sports article:

The organization is not necessarily operating with a serious sense of urgency, given the growing pains the team still has to endure, but general manager Will Dawkins is moving with purpose. Lucrative, multi-year commitments need to be worth the cost, otherwise Washington will be trapped in the same cycle that has unleashed seemingly endless suffering upon the community.

However, feeble franchises do not escape the abyss without taking chances. Acquiring the explosive Kuminga and pairing him with Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly and rookie Tre Johnson, among others, could be a risk worth taking.

[nate33]

I kinda hope we don't sign Kuminga.

We seem to always go after young, incomplete players who couldn't really cut it on their original teams.

This feels like Kyle Kuzma/ Jordan Poole all over again.

I get the concern. The difference is that Kuzma was 26 when we acquired him and Poole was 24. Kuminga is just 22. I just don't think Kuminga is fully developed yet. Kuminga is also a guy who can go get a bucket when an offensive set breaks down. We sorely lack those types of players, particularly now that Poole is gone.

I also think that Golden State runs one of the more unusual offensive systems in the NBA. It's the type of system that's not a great fit for everyone. Some guys just really fit in there (Buddy Hield, GPIII, Otto Porter) and some guys struggle despite being talented (Oubre, Bazemore, DiVincenzo). I think there's a greater likelihood that a change of scenery can help a former Warrior than it could help a guy from some random team.

It's a gamble, but hopefully they can work out a contract that limits any downside risk. We've got plenty of cap room at the moment, but we still need to keep our cap sheet clean for when our young guys need to be resigned. The way I see it, we have a lot of flexibility over the next 3 years. This year, there wouldn't be a cap impact because we are presumably sending out contracts to match Kuminga. Next year, we are $100M under the cap. Even if Kuminga costs $25-30M and we sign a max free agent, we are still okay. The year after that, the only young guy to resign is Bilal, so there's room. It's the year after that where things could be a problem if Kuminga is still on the books at a high price.

So as long as Kuminga signs a 3-year deal with the 4th year a team option, there really isn't much downside. Alternatively, he could sign some type of declining deal where the 4th year salary just isn't very much. Sending out Kispert as part of the S&T deal would also help keep our long term cap in line.

[nate33]

I might even consider giving up that 2029 FRP we got from Portland for Deni.

I really don't think that is necessary.

Kuminga, on a contract anywhere near his asking price, just isn't worth a pick. Generally speaking, when a player signs a market value contract, he has a neutral value. When you work out a S&T, you rarely get a FRP back unless it's to compensate for taking on a bad contract in return to the player you are sign-and-trading.

From Golden State's perspective, Kuminga as an asset is likely gone. There are just trying to get back anything they can rather than let him walk. Kispert, Middleton and/or Olynyk could actually help them. And in the case of the latter two, there is minimal long term cap damage.

[DCZards]

I think the guy who helps GS the most is McCollum. He stays on the move when he’s on the court and can play well on or off the ball. That aligns closely with what GS does offensively.

CJ is a good fit for the Warriors given their desire to stay competitive while Steph is still around,

[PaulinVA]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6472793/2025/07/03/jonathan-kuminga-warriors-free-agency-latest/?source=dailyemail&campaign=601983&userId=7030725&source=dailyemail

Kuminga and his agent, Aaron Turner, are in search of a situation where Kuminga will be a featured part of the core with the belief of the franchise and coaching staff behind him. That isn’t something Kuminga has consistently felt in his four years with the Warriors and — holding a degree of agency for the first time in his professional career — he’s in patient pursuit of a situation that matches his ambitions...

...An eventual compromise and return to the Warriors also remains very much on the table, league sources said, considering the market dynamics at play. The two sides have talked about a sit-down in Las Vegas between Kuminga, Turner, general manager Mike Dunleavy and head coach Steve Kerr to discuss a possible path forward, if his situation remains unresolved in a week.

[Rafael122]

I could be wrong but a sign and trade would mean that we can only send back 50% of whatever Kumingas salary would be. As of 5 days ago, we were also $11 million under the tax which I assume Ted wants to avoid. My guess is Kuminga is getting anywhere between 20-25 mil per.

Kispert would be the one being moved in this scenario. We would barely be under the tax.

[closg00]

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[payitforward]

It's hard for me to think of an example of a highly touted kid coming into the league, putting up poor numbers for 4 years, & then succeding.

Am I missing someone? Or is Kuminga going to be the first one?

[gesa2]

Agree that we are in a good place to take a chance on Kuminga in terms of salary and roster. I’m less on board if we have to give significant assets up to get him. Kispert or any of our expiring contract vets - great. Anything more and we’d have to feel we could trade him later and receive that value back. We’re not in consolidate our assets time yet.

[keynote]

Our pursuit of Kuminga, if legitimate, is further evidence that the FO is comfortable developing Sarr to become a 5.

I know some view Sarr to be a better fit at the 4. A lot of us were surprised that the team didn't pick up a young center prospect in the draft. Instead, they picked yet another wing who could potentially steal minutes at the 4 once they fill out.

It looks like Dawkins is focused on building a team around Sarr at the 5.

[keynote]

I'd be willing to include AJ Johnson in a trade for Kuminga, provided that we didn't include any picks.

[Benjammin]

I don't want to trade AJ. I would give them full rights back on their pick and peel off a couple 2nds perhaps.

[closg00]

I'd be willing to include AJ Johnson in a trade for Kuminga, provided that we didn't include any picks.

No No No, AJ is our only penetrating PG, we have to explore if he'll be a steal and at a minimum, be our back-up PG.

[nate33]

It's hard for me to think of an example of a highly touted kid coming into the league, putting up poor numbers for 4 years, & then succeding.

Am I missing someone? Or is Kuminga going to be the first one?

Lauri Markkanan
Andrew Wiggins
DeAndre Hunter
Rui Hachimura
Aaron Gordon
Julius Randle
Bradley Beal

[nate33]

I don't want to trade AJ. I would give them full rights back on their pick and peel off a couple 2nds perhaps.

Yeah. If we have to give up something, I'd like it to be the fake FRP Golden State allegedly owes us.

[keynote]

I'd be willing to include AJ Johnson in a trade for Kuminga, provided that we didn't include any picks.

No No No, AJ is our only penetrating PG, we have to explore if he'll be a steal and at a minimum, be our back-up PG.

I mean, sure, I'd love to see what Johnson looks like after a full off-season of strength training and a full training camp. And, it would be great to add talent without giving anything up. But Kuminga's upside is much higher than Johnson's, and we're competing with other potential suitors.

I'd rather give GS back their 2030 pick than give up Johnson. But on the balance, a trade around Johnson + salaries for Kuminga is also fair.

I'd draw the line at including Johnson *and* draft capital.

[badinage]

It's hard for me to think of an example of a highly touted kid coming into the league, putting up poor numbers for 4 years, & then succeding.

Am I missing someone? Or is Kuminga going to be the first one?

Jermaine O’Neal. Jimmy Butler. Chauncey Billups. Kyle Lowry. Steve Nash …

[dobrojim]

From a Yahoo sports article:

The organization is not necessarily operating with a serious sense of urgency, given the growing pains the team still has to endure, but general manager Will Dawkins is moving with purpose. Lucrative, multi-year commitments need to be worth the cost, otherwise Washington will be trapped in the same cycle that has unleashed seemingly endless suffering upon the community.

However, feeble franchises do not escape the abyss without taking chances. Acquiring the explosive Kuminga and pairing him with Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly and rookie Tre Johnson, among others, could be a risk worth taking.

I'd say what they suggest could be a lack of urgency is more
like a mature understanding of what and how long
it will actually take to accomplish.