SHAMS: Jonathan Kuminga back to Golden State ($48.5MM/2, 1+1 Team Option)

[Scoot McGroot]

If he waived the no trade clause bad deal by him and his agent. If you threaten and fold you just lose all negotiating power. If I’m Kuminga I fire my agent and sign with Klutch.

That isn't what happened though.

We can read the tea leaves since we know for a fact Kuminga waived the NTC.

1) Take the QO for < $8 Million AAV and have a trade clause
2) Take $24 Million AAV and not have a trade clause

You're talking like Kuminga had power — he didn't. At the end of the day, Golden State could have just paid him $8 million, and for a player who has yet to have a big contract, that's a major loss.

Kuminga is now in a spot where three things happen.

1) He plays well, gets a real role, and Golden State can look to extend him on $24 Million, which allows an extension to happen at a high number, given 140% of $24 Million is > $33 Million.

2) He plays well, Golden State shops him, and a team that wants to put Kuminga in a role with more prowess and agency is willing to acquire him. This lends itself best-case for both parties. The deal currently constructed allows the team to have an additional year to foster Kuminga's growth.

3) He plays poorly; Kuminga makes $24 million instead of $8 million.

or 4) he does not play and used as salary filter to trade to bad teams in Jan. Warriors do not need to play him to risk to reduce his value even lower than today.

If he's used as salary filler, his health doesn't matter a bit. Or his quality of play. A receiving team could just decline his option.

[giberish]

Nice to FINALY be over. Feels high on the per-year salary ($20M/yr was where I put him and there's probably more arguments for lower than higher from there. The difference is the contract flexibility that the team got. That's what GS paid extra to get.

It's not that bad for Kunminga. The contract's high enough that even if he's dealt, white his new team won't have Bird rights they could give him significant money just with an allowable raise off of this deal.

[jscott]

His agent should be fired. If you’re going to sign the deal take the 3 years.

Edit: and he waived the NTC?!

If he waived the no trade clause bad deal by him and his agent. If you threaten and fold you just lose all negotiating power. If I’m Kuminga I fire my agent and sign with Klutch.

That isn't what happened though.

We can read the tea leaves since we know for a fact Kuminga waived the NTC.

1) Take the QO for < $8 Million AAV and have a trade clause
2) Take $24 Million AAV and not have a trade clause

You're talking like Kuminga had power — he didn't. At the end of the day, Golden State could have just paid him $8 million, and for a player who has yet to have a big contract, that's a major loss.

Kuminga is now in a spot where three things happen.

1) He plays well, gets a real role, and Golden State can look to extend him on $24 Million, which allows an extension to happen at a high number, given 140% of $24 Million is > $33 Million.

2) He plays well, Golden State shops him, and a team that wants to put Kuminga in a role with more prowess and agency is willing to acquire him. This lends itself best-case for both parties. The deal currently constructed allows the team to have an additional year to foster Kuminga's growth.

3) He plays poorly; Kuminga makes $24 million instead of $8 million.

He’s never going to see that 2nd year though and if his play continues at current levels he won’t get another deal at this level. If he was going to sign he should have taken the 3 year deal not the 2. His agent is a fool.

He should have locked up 50 mil rather than 24-25.

[Andre Roberstan]

Yeah, I like this for both sides. A lot better than taking the QO. And think it’s fair to assume GSW tried every option to get value in a sign and trade.

So keeping him is better than not? If he ends up fitting with Horford there, you keep him on the option or try to work out a long term deal next summer. Long term likely painful blow up is coming either way.

Shocking absolutely no one, I'm in total agreement with jay here. 1+1 is a good deal all around and helps both sides prime the pump for 2026 or 2027.

I don't recall a lot of really painful contract negotiations winding up well for either the player or the team, though, even if they eventually sign a deal. That relationship seems broken, Kerr's not likely to put him in any better position for his skillset (nor should he, tbh, given the roster right now), and he may hit the open market and find it empty. And they can't afford to let talent walk, even if it's an awkward fit.

[zimpy27]

Holding out went well for him, that's a lot of cash for someone that has shown very little.

Is it?

He is getting ~24 Millions guaranteed.

Kuminga had quite a bit of leverage here.

He wanted to leave GSW because he believes he can become a star in a better team set up for his skills.

He gets $24m this season, his contract is attractive to trade because of TO.

[Crazy-Canuck]

My first question is "Who is Golden State trying to trade for with this salary?"

Imo, it'll be a big wing with some athleticism who can guard 1 to 4 and can shoot the 3 ball. (If they can create their own bucket? It's a bonus, but not likely for a 25M player).

We saw these weaknesses rear its ugly head vs the wolves in the playoffs.

Now that player ALSO needs to make around 25M AND his contract CANT run longer than next season AND CANT be on the wrong end of 30.

[SkyHook]

My first question is "Who is Golden State trying to trade for with this salary?"

Imo, it'll be a big wing with some athleticism who can guard 1 to 4 and can shoot the 3 ball. (If they can create their own bucket? It's a bonus, but not likely for a 25M player).

We saw these weaknesses rear its ugly head vs the wolves in the playoffs.

Now that player ALSO needs to make around 25M AND his contract CANT run longer than next season AND CANT be on the wrong end of 30.

Sounds an awful lot like Andrew Wiggins.

[giberish]

My first question is "Who is Golden State trying to trade for with this salary?"

Imo, it'll be a big wing with some athleticism who can guard 1 to 4 and can shoot the 3 ball. (If they can create their own bucket? It's a bonus, but not likely for a 25M player).

We saw these weaknesses rear its ugly head vs the wolves in the playoffs.

Now that player ALSO needs to make around 25M AND his contract CANT run longer than next season AND CANT be on the wrong end of 30.

Well if they're insisting on the short term contract then age isn't that big of a deal.

[Crazy-Canuck]

My first question is "Who is Golden State trying to trade for with this salary?"

Imo, it'll be a big wing with some athleticism who can guard 1 to 4 and can shoot the 3 ball. (If they can create their own bucket? It's a bonus, but not likely for a 25M player).

We saw these weaknesses rear its ugly head vs the wolves in the playoffs.

Now that player ALSO needs to make around 25M AND his contract CANT run longer than next season AND CANT be on the wrong end of 30.

Sounds an awful lot like Andrew Wiggins.

I'm guessing he'll be a Laker.

More attainable choices might be kcp or Dillon Brooks.

[Devilanche]

Thank god that is over. I don't really feel sympathy for either party - Golden State hasn't put him in the best position to succeed, but he also has a lot of undesirable qualities as a player. This money is more that he is worth based on play, but I think pretty tradeable based on potential.

How so?

We should give the reigns to a mid scorer with low b-ball iq and effort?

He’s had plenty of opportunities

Ownership fault .
Your ownership pushed him as some sort of foundational piece and yet there just wasn’t a way for him to get there either by his current standards or opportunity to reach there.

He believes the ownership words enough and demanded the actual dollars that a future foundational piece seek to earn.

[Mavrelous]

Read on Twitter

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[DB23]

Thank god that is over. I don't really feel sympathy for either party - Golden State hasn't put him in the best position to succeed, but he also has a lot of undesirable qualities as a player. This money is more that he is worth based on play, but I think pretty tradeable based on potential.

How so?

We should give the reigns to a mid scorer with low b-ball iq and effort?

He’s had plenty of opportunities

Ownership fault .
Your ownership pushed him as some sort of foundational piece and yet there just wasn’t a way for him to get there either by his current standards or opportunity to reach there.

He believes the ownership words enough and demanded the actual dollars that a future foundational piece seek to earn.

Don’t disagree. I guess it’s predictable that billionaire owner comes in and has success so thinks it is him. It’s always just been about Steph.

At least he’s opened the wallet where necessary but for sure got to high on how he was running things.

[brackdan70]

My first question is "Who is Golden State trying to trade for with this salary?"

Matches up pretty close to Anfernee Simons…though with GS hard capped trades will be tricky.

[brackdan70]

Glad for him he didn’t play on the QO.
Maybe not the contract he dreamed of but a good chunk of change and a chance to prove himself.

[Mavrelous]

Good deal for both sides IMO, now hopefully they find a suitable trade for him.

[raleigh]

Good deal for both sides IMO, now hopefully they find a suitable trade for him.

Yeah, I think this deal makes sense for all three sides involved:

Kuminga --- Retains Bird rights and gets more than $8M this season
Warriors --- Keep their trade asset alive
Team who trades for JK --- Can invest in him long-term

[jbk1234]

The T.O. is big for the Warriors, but that contract doesn't transform Kuminga into a player who is worth an unprotected 1st from a team like the Kings. They can rest up Steph and Jimmy in the first half of the season and showcase Kuminga in the second unit on extended run, but if he's not closing games, trade partners will factor that in.

[tcheco]

This is perfect for both honestly. Seems like he is done with the Warriors, so taking 24M and getting either traded or his option declined makes him free either way. a 2 year + 1TO would make it harder to trade if his role is still a 20mpg and theres a scenario he stays another year on the bench. Sometimes players just want to leave and they trust themselves to get paid. Is it wise? debatable, but maybe he isn't pissed at his agent, who knows.

[longfellow44]

I'm really a bit surprised that kuminga didn't manage to keep his NTC. I really thought that control over his career was the most important part of the negotiation for him.

Congrats to the warriors on managing to get exactly the contract that they wanted.

[xdrta+]

Good deal for both sides IMO, now hopefully they find a suitable trade for him.

Yeah, I think this deal makes sense for all three sides involved:

Kuminga --- Retains Bird rights and gets more than $8M this season
Warriors --- Keep their trade asset alive
Team who trades for JK --- Can invest in him long-term

He waived the NTC, but he still loses Bird rights in a trade.