Warriors exploring S&T for Kuminga

[SpreeS]

How many teams could offer 25mln/30mln per year to Kuminga in free agency next year?

[EvanZ]

Lowe had Howard Beck on the new pod. Obligatory What up Beck!

Anyway they were doing a segment on players to watch and Zach talks about how he wrote a similar piece before last season but it never ran because he was abruptly fired as we all remember I’m sure. But notice who one of his players to watch was:

“That's what people say.

I do have a quick question. Have you revealed who the most intriguing players would have been last fall?

Let me see if I can rattle it off. Shadon Sharp, Mark Williams. I'm already stuck.

Some other guys, some other guys. Those were two of the six.

Is the word document in your possession or your former employers?

No, I have it. You know what? So you could look it up.

Let me see because it's not like I've written a lot.

I'm dying to know if they actually ended up being as intriguing last season as you hoped they'd be.

I should.

Shadon Sharp and Mark Williams both. Mark Williams became intriguing for all the wrong reasons because of a rescinded trade.

Well, I would say the right reasons too.

Well, yes, he was having a pretty good season up until that point.

Jalen Johnson.

Oh, good. Great call.

Trey Murphy III.

Phenomenal call.

Shadon Sharp, Mark Williams, Jalen Durin, and Keon Ellis is a nod to role players. I have great material from Keon Ellis. Just fantastic.

Just great. Great interview. Keon Ellis is awesome.”

From The Zach Lowe Show: Most Intriguing Players Next Season with Howard Beck, and All Things Mavericks With Tim Cato, Jul 28, 2025
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-zach-lowe-show/id1805478723?i=1000719536958&r=205
This material may be protected by copyright.

[AirP.]

Lowe had Howard Beck on the new pod. Obligatory What up Beck!

Anyway they were doing a segment on players to watch and Zach talks about how he wrote a similar piece before last season but it never ran because he was abruptly fired as we all remember I’m sure. But notice who one of his players to watch was:

Spoiler:

“That's what people say.

I do have a quick question. Have you revealed who the most intriguing players would have been last fall?

Let me see if I can rattle it off. Shadon Sharp, Mark Williams. I'm already stuck.

Some other guys, some other guys. Those were two of the six.

Is the word document in your possession or your former employers?

No, I have it. You know what? So you could look it up.

Let me see because it's not like I've written a lot.

I'm dying to know if they actually ended up being as intriguing last season as you hoped they'd be.

I should.

Shadon Sharp and Mark Williams both. Mark Williams became intriguing for all the wrong reasons because of a rescinded trade.

Well, I would say the right reasons too.

Well, yes, he was having a pretty good season up until that point.

Jalen Johnson.

Oh, good. Great call.

Trey Murphy III.

Phenomenal call.

Shadon Sharp, Mark Williams, Jalen Durin, and Keon Ellis is a nod to role players. I have great material from Keon Ellis. Just fantastic.

Just great. Great interview. Keon Ellis is awesome.”

From The Zach Lowe Show: Most Intriguing Players Next Season with Howard Beck, and All Things Mavericks With Tim Cato, Jul 28, 2025
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-zach-lowe-show/id1805478723?i=1000719536958&r=205
This material may be protected by copyright.

It's pretty interesting that Sacramento is playing with fire when it comes to Keon Ellis' contract. This summer they could have declined the team option and made Ellis a RFA and locked him up but they didn't, they picked up his 2 million team option and Ellis could become a UFA next summer unless his team gives him a number he'll extend with. It's quite possible Keon just becomes a UFA next summer vs signs an extension. It's possible trading for Ellis is just trading for a 1 year rental. You'd hope if GS were to trade for him there would be a verbal agreement of an extension before they make the trade.

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[Senchu]

I’m so happy I’m not a Kings fan

[Shakester415]

Not saying Kuminga will be Tracy McGrady, but this was a similar situation that the Raptors went through. Not many people felt that McGrady was worth $13M a year (which was a big number in 2000). The Raptors decided to do a sign and trade with Orlando and the rest is history. So there will be a team out there willing to shell out $30M for him. Whether it's Sacramento, Chicago or some other team.

[wco81]

Ellis has kept shooting over 40% from 3 while increasing his number of attempts. If he does it again this season, he'll easily make a $15-20 million a year contract.

So even if the Warriors get him in a trade, would they be able to keep him? Because they'll have to pay Podz in the future as well.

[Onus]

Lowe had Howard Beck on the new pod. Obligatory What up Beck!

Anyway they were doing a segment on players to watch and Zach talks about how he wrote a similar piece before last season but it never ran because he was abruptly fired as we all remember I’m sure. But notice who one of his players to watch was:

Spoiler:

“That's what people say.

I do have a quick question. Have you revealed who the most intriguing players would have been last fall?

Let me see if I can rattle it off. Shadon Sharp, Mark Williams. I'm already stuck.

Some other guys, some other guys. Those were two of the six.

Is the word document in your possession or your former employers?

No, I have it. You know what? So you could look it up.

Let me see because it's not like I've written a lot.

I'm dying to know if they actually ended up being as intriguing last season as you hoped they'd be.

I should.

Shadon Sharp and Mark Williams both. Mark Williams became intriguing for all the wrong reasons because of a rescinded trade.

Well, I would say the right reasons too.

Well, yes, he was having a pretty good season up until that point.

Jalen Johnson.

Oh, good. Great call.

Trey Murphy III.

Phenomenal call.

Shadon Sharp, Mark Williams, Jalen Durin, and Keon Ellis is a nod to role players. I have great material from Keon Ellis. Just fantastic.

Just great. Great interview. Keon Ellis is awesome.”

From The Zach Lowe Show: Most Intriguing Players Next Season with Howard Beck, and All Things Mavericks With Tim Cato, Jul 28, 2025
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-zach-lowe-show/id1805478723?i=1000719536958&r=205
This material may be protected by copyright.

It's pretty interesting that Sacramento is playing with fire when it comes to Keon Ellis' contract. This summer they could have declined the team option and made Ellis a RFA and locked him up but they didn't, they picked up his 2 million team option and Ellis could become a UFA next summer unless his team gives him a number he'll extend with. It's quite possible Keon just becomes a UFA next summer vs signs an extension. It's possible trading for Ellis is just trading for a 1 year rental. You'd hope if GS were to trade for him there would be a verbal agreement of an extension before they make the trade.

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

The kings have to have some type of agreement with Ellis to not include him in trades while delaying an extension another year.

[NW]

Lowe had Howard Beck on the new pod. Obligatory What up Beck!

Anyway they were doing a segment on players to watch and Zach talks about how he wrote a similar piece before last season but it never ran because he was abruptly fired as we all remember I’m sure. But notice who one of his players to watch was:

Spoiler:

“That's what people say.

I do have a quick question. Have you revealed who the most intriguing players would have been last fall?

Let me see if I can rattle it off. Shadon Sharp, Mark Williams. I'm already stuck.

Some other guys, some other guys. Those were two of the six.

Is the word document in your possession or your former employers?

No, I have it. You know what? So you could look it up.

Let me see because it's not like I've written a lot.

I'm dying to know if they actually ended up being as intriguing last season as you hoped they'd be.

I should.

Shadon Sharp and Mark Williams both. Mark Williams became intriguing for all the wrong reasons because of a rescinded trade.

Well, I would say the right reasons too.

Well, yes, he was having a pretty good season up until that point.

Jalen Johnson.

Oh, good. Great call.

Trey Murphy III.

Phenomenal call.

Shadon Sharp, Mark Williams, Jalen Durin, and Keon Ellis is a nod to role players. I have great material from Keon Ellis. Just fantastic.

Just great. Great interview. Keon Ellis is awesome.”

From The Zach Lowe Show: Most Intriguing Players Next Season with Howard Beck, and All Things Mavericks With Tim Cato, Jul 28, 2025
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-zach-lowe-show/id1805478723?i=1000719536958&r=205
This material may be protected by copyright.

It's pretty interesting that Sacramento is playing with fire when it comes to Keon Ellis' contract. This summer they could have declined the team option and made Ellis a RFA and locked him up but they didn't, they picked up his 2 million team option and Ellis could become a UFA next summer unless his team gives him a number he'll extend with. It's quite possible Keon just becomes a UFA next summer vs signs an extension. It's possible trading for Ellis is just trading for a 1 year rental. You'd hope if GS were to trade for him there would be a verbal agreement of an extension before they make the trade.

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Claim was they did it for more financial flexibility-which they used to give Dennis Schroder a bigger offer (which depending on what Kings media guy you observe, Ellis and his people weren’t high on).

Which is why, following Kings media, the talk has gone from “no way the Kings are putting Ellis on the table” to “I don’t think Ellis for Kuminga is a good deal and I wouldn’t do it (but the FO might).”

If you’re Ellis, what number would the Kings have to give in an extension to make you pass on unrestricted FA next summer when it’s believed there will be many more teams with cap space? Will the Kings be willing to pay that amount or take a gamble of losing him for nothing in UFA?

Granted, if he’s in a Kuminga deal, that becomes the Warriors conundrum

[EvanZ]

You can't spell Kuminga without King.

[wco81]

They show Ellis a free agent next summer.

If you compare to what GP2 got after a really good season for the Warriors, he got $9 million a year for 3 years? But if Ellis shows that his 3-point shot is for real, he's going to have more money thrown at him, more toward the Herb Jones contract.

I think though that GP2 finishes better.

[EvanZ]

You guys are so naive when it comes to salaries. You think Kuminga should get $30M but Keon is going to get $9M LMAO.

Ellis will get at the very least what NAW just got which is 4/60 with PO for the 4th year. Keon is a legit 3&D. He's less valuable than Cason Wallace but not far behind and he'll be entering his prime. My guess is Keon ends up getting something like 4/80+. It's possible he gets 4/100 next summer.

The crazy thing is that looks like a crazy number, but people here are scoffing at Kuminga taking $20M per year. It's so out of whack based on what these players actually do on the court. Keon Ellis is a winner. Kuminga is a loser. It's that simple.

[wco81]

Winner?

That's why the Kings paid Schroeder instead of him?

How much did the Kings win last year?

[Chris Porter's Hair]

You guys are so naive when it comes to salaries. You think Kuminga should get $30M but Keon is going to get $9M LMAO.

Ellis will get at the very least what NAW just got which is 4/60 with PO for the 4th year. Keon is a legit 3&D. He's less valuable than Cason Wallace but not far behind and he'll be entering his prime. My guess is Keon ends up getting something like 4/80+. It's possible he gets 4/100 next summer.

The crazy thing is that looks like a crazy number, but people here are scoffing at Kuminga taking $20M per year. It's so out of whack based on what these players actually do on the court. Keon Ellis is a winner. Kuminga is a loser. It's that simple.

"You guys". I only remember one person saying Kuminga will get $30m, and it was their first post ever on RealGM. I have a very low opinion of most of the posts on here, and I'd be pretty shocked if much of anyone thinks he will get $30m. Hell, even if most of the GMs completely lost their minds, most of them are saved from themselves by the CBA, and couldn't offer him close to that.

[HiRez]

We don't know what the max the Warriors are willing to pay is and we don't know what the min Kuminga is willing to accept, but we can make some pretty good guesses. Dubs offering $20M and Kuminga wants $30M seems to be where we're at. They're both just setting negotiating points, I don't believe they won't budge from those numbers. So $25M feels like a logical landing point, unless Kuminga really wants nothing to do with the Warriors under any circumstances and just wants out ASAP.

Personally I feel like they could move a 2-3 year @ $25M/yr Kuminga contract without a lot of trouble, so if he'll come to that number they should just do it so they can sign Melton & Horford before they change their minds. Otherwise he plays for the QO and will be a lot more me-oriented than team-oriented and I see him just riding the bench all year with a not-so-great attitude, while Melton & Horford go elsewhere because they don't want to wait for the clock to run out.

Best move would be a preseason trade but it just seems that good deal is not out there right now. What a mess.

[EvanZ]

You guys are so naive when it comes to salaries. You think Kuminga should get $30M but Keon is going to get $9M LMAO.

Ellis will get at the very least what NAW just got which is 4/60 with PO for the 4th year. Keon is a legit 3&D. He's less valuable than Cason Wallace but not far behind and he'll be entering his prime. My guess is Keon ends up getting something like 4/80+. It's possible he gets 4/100 next summer.

The crazy thing is that looks like a crazy number, but people here are scoffing at Kuminga taking $20M per year. It's so out of whack based on what these players actually do on the court. Keon Ellis is a winner. Kuminga is a loser. It's that simple.

"You guys". I only remember one person saying Kuminga will get $30m, and it was their first post ever on RealGM. I have a very low opinion of most of the posts on here, and I'd be pretty shocked if much of anyone thinks he will get $30m. Hell, even if most of the GMs completely lost their minds, most of them are saved from themselves by the CBA, and couldn't offer him close to that.

You don't get hyperbole I guess. It wouldn't have made a difference if I had said $25M or even $20M, which I think you'd agree is what MOST people here think Kuminga will/should/could get, however you want to look at it. Nobody would blink at $20M.

But Keon getting $20M? I'd say MOST OF YOU ALL can't fathom that he's worth as much as Kuminga. Which is wild to me, because he's obviously a better player now and probably always will be.

[ChuckDurn]

You guys are so naive when it comes to salaries. You think Kuminga should get $30M but Keon is going to get $9M LMAO.

Ellis will get at the very least what NAW just got which is 4/60 with PO for the 4th year. Keon is a legit 3&D. He's less valuable than Cason Wallace but not far behind and he'll be entering his prime. My guess is Keon ends up getting something like 4/80+. It's possible he gets 4/100 next summer.

The crazy thing is that looks like a crazy number, but people here are scoffing at Kuminga taking $20M per year. It's so out of whack based on what these players actually do on the court. Keon Ellis is a winner. Kuminga is a loser. It's that simple.

Yeah, I pretty much agree. If Ellis shows even a modicum of growth from last year, I bet he’s looking at about $20M or slightly more per year as the right expectation.

Out of curiosity, what do you see in Wallace that puts him as even more valuable? Just that he’s a little further along, a little earlier, with a few more ball-handling / creation skills?

[vvoland]

You guys are so naive when it comes to salaries. You think Kuminga should get $30M but Keon is going to get $9M LMAO.

Ellis will get at the very least what NAW just got which is 4/60 with PO for the 4th year. Keon is a legit 3&D. He's less valuable than Cason Wallace but not far behind and he'll be entering his prime. My guess is Keon ends up getting something like 4/80+. It's possible he gets 4/100 next summer.

The crazy thing is that looks like a crazy number, but people here are scoffing at Kuminga taking $20M per year. It's so out of whack based on what these players actually do on the court. Keon Ellis is a winner. Kuminga is a loser. It's that simple.

"You guys". I only remember one person saying Kuminga will get $30m, and it was their first post ever on RealGM. I have a very low opinion of most of the posts on here, and I'd be pretty shocked if much of anyone thinks he will get $30m. Hell, even if most of the GMs completely lost their minds, most of them are saved from themselves by the CBA, and couldn't offer him close to that.

You don't get hyperbole I guess. It wouldn't have made a difference if I had said $25M or even $20M, which I think you'd agree is what MOST people here think Kuminga will/should/could get, however you want to look at it. Nobody would blink at $20M.

But Keon getting $20M? I'd say MOST OF YOU ALL can't fathom that he's worth as much as Kuminga. Which is wild to me, because he's obviously a better player now and probably always will be.

I think Keon getting 20M/yr makes sense. Not sure why you seem so adamant that 'most of us' undervalue ellis but, and just go with me here, you may be overvaluing him? For example, multiple Sac coaches and FOs don't seem super keen on extending him or clearing the runway for Ellis to get more minutes. I don't think of Sac as a particularly good org but they do see A LOT of Keon, whereas, we do not. 20M/yr for someone I consider a 3rd guard seems a bit pricey. Do you consider him a bonafide starter in the league? As a smaller 2 guard, I assume? Let's take JK out of the equation, what would you trade for Keon? Podz + 1 FRP? Multiple FRPs?

I won't speak to most posters on here, just my 2 cents on the JK contract. I do think 20M/yr would be good value for JK. Not so much for past production as much as for future production, but he's not a complete unknown. Paying a Grimes (3 good months in his career) or Cam or Giddey, to me, is a bigger risk as none of them have done squat for a winning team (or under any real pressure). At least, JK has been a key part of a rotation for a team trying to climb the standings (like in his 2nd year) or get out of the play-in (like in year 3). I've been as high on JK as anyone not in his immediate family but him being paid the same as Keon makes sense, just for very, completely, different reasons.

Do I think 20M is good value for Keon? Yes. Can't say I'm a huge expert on his game but the shooting %s are strong, albeit at an absurdly low usage (half of league average, I believe). Can he keep his efficiency while DOUBLING his usage to league average? Maybe but it's certainly not a guarantee. I'd pay 20M to find out but he's 25 and I wouldn't expect him to improve much on what he is today, even if the efficiency maintains with higher usage. It's certainly a safer bet than giving JK 20M and, for this team, a much better one. It's a different gamble on giving JK 20M/yr and while you may think the chances of that lottery ticket hitting are below 0, JK does have some fans that think otherwise, not just on this board.

While Lowe loves Ellis, and has since last year, he's also one of the few other property owners on Kuminga Island, although, I may have seen a moving van out back recently.

[vvoland]

Ellis has kept shooting over 40% from 3 while increasing his number of attempts. If he does it again this season, he'll easily make a $15-20 million a year contract.

So even if the Warriors get him in a trade, would they be able to keep him? Because they'll have to pay Podz in the future as well.

His attempts per 36 actually went down, he just got double the minutes he did the year prior. His FGA/min and USG rate are pretty consistent. Crazy stat from google ai:

"
According to Cleaning the Glass, a basketball analytics website, Keon Ellis is in the 100th percentile for total points scored per 100 shot attempts among all NBA guards. This indicates extremely high scoring efficiency.
However, the same source states that Keon Ellis is in the 0th percentile for usage rate per minutes played.

"

[Old_Blue]

Yeesh. Kuminga has become the Trump of the NBA, with more time spent talking about him than he's actually worth. If the guy was Hall of Fame bound, or even an All-Star, the chatter would be appropriate. But, as it stands, Kuminga's got a better chance of being out of the League entirely before he hits 30 than of ever being an All-Star.

[NW]

Couple notes from today’s Warriors +/- pod with Sam Anick and Austin Rivers pod.

Amick is as in touch with the Kings as any writer out there. Rivers has the same financial advisor/agent as Kuminga so he has some inside.

Amick kind of confirmed the belief GS is offering the most money for Kuminga as the Kings are not willing to go $20 mil for him.

Rivers basically said priority is to get Kuminga out of GS.