Golden State Warriors Rumors

Jonathan Kuminga Rumors: AfroBasket, Suns, Kings, Trade Talks

July 31st, 2025 at 7:37am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

With Jonathan Kuminga‘s negotiations in restricted free agency seemingly set to drag on into August, the Warriors forward will likely have his international commitments affected by the stalemate.

As Marc Stein of The Stein Line details (via Twitter), the ongoing talks between Kuminga’s representatives and Golden State are expected to prevent him from suiting up for the Democratic Republic of Congo in this year’s AfroBasket competition, which tips off on August 12 in Angola. Kuminga had initially been listed on the team’s roster ahead of the tournament.

The primary reported suitors for Kuminga at this juncture are a pair of the Warriors’ Pacific Division rivals, the Suns and the Kings.

While Phoenix has legitimate interest in Kuminga, it’s unclear whether the club has the sort of young talent or draft assets to get a deal done. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix (Twitter link) reports that second-year Suns forward Ryan Dunn has never been discussed in trade talks and insists that he will not be included.

Andscape’s Marc J. Spears, meanwhile, hears that Kuminga is intrigued by the possibility of playing for the Kings.

“He wants to go (to Sacramento),” Spears said during an NBA Today appearance on Wednesday (Twitter video link). “The Kings are offering a starting spot, power forward, next to Keegan Murray, next to [Domantas] Sabonis. He’s talked on a zoom call with Scott Perry, the GM; B.J. Armstrong, the assistant GM; and also with their head coach [Doug Christie]. So he’s in, he wants to go there.”

Spears also shared some details on what a Suns offer for Kuminga might look like. “I heard they’re offering Royce O’Neale and four seconds and Nick Richards,” he said.

For what it’s worth, Phoenix only currently controls three second-round picks.

ESPN’s Shams Charania also appeared on NBA Today on Wednesday (Twitter video link) and suggested that Sacramento has been open to including a protected first-round pick in its sign-and-trade offer for Kuminga. Charania added that both the Kings and Suns have been willing to go up to about $90MM over four years for the 22-year-old. For now, Golden State has rejected sign-and-trade proposals from both teams.

“(The Warriors) want a good player, they also want an unprotected first-round pick, a good first-round pick,” Charania said. “The Sacramento Kings, I’m told, have actually offered a first-round pick in those conversations – it’s been a conditional first-round pick – as well as a potential rotation player. But the Warriors have wanted to the Sacramento Kings to give them an unprotected – fully – first-round pick.”

Phoenix doesn’t presently have the ability to trade a first-round pick.

Luke Adams contributed to this story.

Latest On Jonathan Kuminga

July 30th, 2025 at 9:53am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Kings have been linked to restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga for weeks but there’s little common ground in sign-and-trade talks with the Warriors.

The Athletic’s Sam Amick said on the Warriors Plus Minus podcast (hat tip to BasketNews) that Golden State isn’t interested in either DeMar DeRozan or Devin Carter as part of a trade package.

“My understanding is the Warriors weren’t interested in Carter or DeRozan. As of a couple of weeks ago, the Kings weren’t willing to pay Kuminga into the $20 million range,” Amick said.

Multiple reports have indicated Kuminga and his agent are seeking a contract in the $30MM range annually.

The Sacramento Bee’s Jason Anderson reports that the Kings have not given up in their pursuit of a sign-and-trade deal for Kuminga and offered Golden State a package of Carter, Dario Saric and draft compensation, which could include a protected first-round pick or multiple second-round picks.

Anderson speculates the Warriors would likely make a deal with Sacramento if the Kings were willing to add Keegan Murray or Keon Ellis to the mix. However, Anderson hears that Murray and Ellis have not been discussed in those negotiations and are considered off limits by the Kings.

ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported last week that the Warriors would like to add a talented young player and a first-rounder for Kuminga. The Suns have been identified as another suitor for Kuminga but don’t possess the draft capital Golden State is seeking.

Slater added in a radio interview relayed by Anderson that the 22-year-old forward came away with a good impression after a recent meeting with Kings representatives, which included general manager Scott Perry, assistant GM B.J. Armstrong and head coach Doug Christie.

“He’s open-minded to the idea of Sacramento. … I think part of that – I know part of that pitch – is you’re talking starting role, you’re talking bigger opportunity than the Warriors are necessarily offering right now. And I think that’s the part that shouldn’t get lost in this situation,” Slater said. “Jonathan Kuminga isn’t just looking for the exact contract he wants in free agency. He’s looking for the opportunity he wants on the court.”

Slater and ESPN’s Shams Charania report that the Warriors are making a stronger push to resolve the Kuminga impasse but he continues to reject their two-year, $45MM contract offer. Kuminga’s decision is due in large part to the Warriors’ insistence on having a team option for the second season and their unwillingness to let him maintain the built-in no-trade clause, the ESPN duo adds.

His agent, Aaron Turner, presented the Warriors several proposals this month, including a three-year deal worth around $82MM that would allow them to stay below the second tax apron.

The Suns have been the most aggressive team pursuing Kuminga, including a proposal of up to four years and approximately $90MM for Kuminga with a player option for the final season, per ESPN’s report.

In recent days, Golden State has begun signaling a plan to cut off sign-and-trade conversations entirely, according to Charania and Slater. The Warriors have the ability to play hard ball with Kuminga, figuring he could either accept their contract offer or sign his qualifying offer of $7.9MM and become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Stein’s Latest: Paul, Smart, Thomas, Kuminga

July 28th, 2025 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Chris Paul returned to Los Angeles and signed with the Clippers on a one-year deal last week. Paul showed strong interest in playing for one of his other former teams before making his decision, according to the latest Substack article from Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.

The other team that Paul considered rejoining was the Suns. The team’s star, Devin Booker, was intrigued by the potential reunion, given how they meshed during Phoenix’s run to the 2021 NBA Finals. There was also seemingly a spot for Paul at the point, since Tyus Jones chose to sign with Orlando.

The Suns’ front office decided to go in another direction. Phoenix was much more interested in defensive stalwart Marcus Smart, who chose to sign with the Lakers after reaching a buyout with Washington. Phoenix’s brass also had some concerns how the future Hall of Famer’s presence might create some awkward situations for first-year head coach Jordan Ott.

The Suns wound up claiming Jordan Goodwin off waivers and signing Jared Butler to a non-guaranteed contract. Paul also drew interest from the Hornets, Mavericks and Bucks, as previously reported.

Citing a source, Stein said Dallas had D’Angelo Russell higher on its wish list than Paul. The Mavs’ brass believed Russell would be more comfortable in a complementary role once Kyrie Irving returns from his knee ailment. They also felt Russell was a better fit with Anthony Davis, considering they had played together with the Lakers. Russell signed a two-year deal with the Mavs.

Here’s more nuggets from The Stein Line:

The Hawks considered absorbing Smart’s contract into its $25MM traded player exception prior to his buyout. Atlanta opted instead to acquire Kristaps Porziņgis and make a sign-and-trade transaction for Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The Bucks explored potential trades for Smart and the Warriors‘ Andrew Wiggins with the aid of Pat Connaughton‘s expiring $9.4MM contract. They instead dealt him to Charlotte for two future second-round picks.
Fischer reiterates that the Nets’ offers to restricted free agent Cam Thomas have yet to exceed two-year proposals featuring an annual average value in the range of the league’s $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Those offers also include a team option for the second year. Brooklyn appears to be in no rush to ramp up negotiations with Thomas’ representation, given Thomas’ lack of leverage.
Regarding another prominent restricted free agent, Jonathan Kuminga has not gotten an offer from the Warriors close to his reported $30MM annual asking price. The Warriors’ best offers to Kuminga have topped out in the two-year, $40MM range, per Stein. As previously reported, the Kings and Suns are regarded as the top suitors but Golden State wants a first-round pick in any sign-and-trade deal. Phoenix is unable to offer a first-rounder.

Pacific Notes: Kuminga, Kings, LeBron, Butler

July 26th, 2025 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors are the only team that hasn’t made a roster move since free agency began, and they’re probably stuck until the Jonathan Kuminga situation is resolved, cap expert Yossi Gozlan explains in his Third Apron column (subscriber link).

Golden State is believed to have deals in place with Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton, but those signings can’t be finalized while Kuminga is still on the market. If the Warriors use their taxpayer mid-level exception, they will become hard-capped at the $207.8MM second apron. That creates an opportunity for a team to open up cap space and make an offer to Kuminga at close to $30MM per year, which Golden State wouldn’t be able to match.

Gozlan views a sign-and-trade as the best outcome for both sides, but he adds that if the Warriors wind up re-signing Kuminga, they’ll likely want to keep his salary in the $22-23MM range. That would allow them to use the taxpayer MLE and add three more players on minimum contracts while remaining below the hard cap.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

After a strong Summer League performance, it looks like rookie Nique Clifford will be able to help the Kings right away, per Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Clifford was a First Team All-Summer League selection, and team officials believe he’s versatile enough to handle either guard spot as well as small forward. Anderson adds that Isaac Jones and Devin Carter also showed that they’re ready for larger roles, while rookie center Maxime Raynaud will enter camp with a chance to become the primary backup center.
What’s next for Lakers forward LeBron James as he enters his 23rd NBA season? Marc Stein tackles that topic in his latest Substack article, speculating that the 2025/26 season will be James’ last with the Lakers but not his last as an NBA player, though he makes it clear that’s more of a “gut-feel read” than hard reporting. Stein adds that he thinks James has some “genuine curiosity” about the idea of playing in Dallas, even though he and his family are “extremely settled” in Los Angeles.
Jared Butler‘s new one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Suns is a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 deal, but doesn’t include Exhibit 10 language, Hoops Rumors has learned. That suggests Butler likely won’t be playing for Phoenix’s G League team if he doesn’t earn a spot on the regular season roster.

Warriors, Knicks Hiring New Coaches To Staffs

July 26th, 2025 at 8:14am CST by Rory Maher

The Warriors and Knicks are adding new coaches to their respective staffs.

According to agent Misko Raznatovic (Twitter link), Golden State is hiring Nikola Milojevic to its staff after he spent the 2024/25 season with Mega Basket in Serbia.

Nikola is the son of former Warriors assistant Dejan Milojevic, who tragically passed away in January 2024 at age 46 following a heart attack. Dejan was a former star player in Europe and the longtime head coach of Mega Basket, where he coached future NBA MVP Nikola Jokic from 2012-15.

As for the Knicks, they’re expected add Charles Allen as an assistant coach, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (via Twitter).

Allen was the head video coordinator for the Jazz prior to joining Mike Brown‘s staff in Sacramento in 2022. He was promoted to be the Kings’ player development coach last fall.

Allen is the second former Kings assistant to be reuniting with Brown, New York’s new head coach, joining Riccardo Fois.

Pacific Notes: Curry, Paul, Brooks, Moody

July 25th, 2025 at 8:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

Stephen Curry isn’t planning on retiring from the Warriors soon, but when he does, he wants it to be on his terms, he told Complex’s Speedy Morman (YouTube link).

“I’m kind of just taking it in two-year chunks,” Curry said of how he approaches the twilight years of his career. “You have to give yourself some motivation to go after.”

Curry adds that it’s not the grind of the 82-game season that’s a struggle now that he’s at this stage: “The offseasons, for me, are the hardest… the games are so much fun, you get lost in the game. That’s the easy part. So if I get through offseasons, that’s a mark for how long I can push it.”

Curry also reflected on his place in NBA history and the achievements he’s still chasing, especially when it comes to his place on the all-time scoring list and his ability to potentially crack the top 10.

“I do that math all the time, just to get in your head how long do you have to play and what level to catch those at the top of that list,” Curry said. “But that’s not why I’ll keep going, it’s more that I want to be at a level where we’re competing and playing for championships and hopefully control as much of that as possible down the stretch of my career.”

Curry currently sits 27th on the list with 25,386 points. At his typical rate of scoring, it would take him somewhere between three to four seasons to bump Moses Malone out of the 10th spot, where he sits with 29,580 points.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Chris Paul‘s return to the Clippers isn’t just a way to relive former glories, writes Law Murray of The Athletic. Although the Clippers are as deep as any team in the league, adding Paul’s skill set will be very beneficial, according to Murray, who points out that Los Angeles ranked 23rd in turnover percentage and assist-to-turnover rate last season, an area in which Paul has always excelled. “Ball-handling and play-making were areas we wanted to address this offseason,” said Clippers’ president Lawrence Frank. “When we were at our best, we were taking care of the ball.” Murray also points out that despite a rocky ending with the Rockets, James Harden was a big part of bringing Paul back to the City of Angels. Paul will serve as a reliable depth option, coming off the bench alongside fellow high-level veteran Brook Lopez, and will provide insurance should Harden miss time.
The Suns wanted to get younger this summer once it became clear that Kevin Durant was leaving, but they also wanted to get tougher, writes Doug Haller for The Athletic. Enter Dillon Brooks. Brooks brings a level of intensity, sometimes bordering on chaos, that the Suns have rarely had, but he’s also a valuable and versatile defender, which will be important on a young team full of players still figuring out that end of the floor. While Brooks might be best known for his scrappy style of play and a tendency to rack up technical fouls, those who have spent time with him know his game contains multitudes. “If you’re giving a scout, you could ask Dillon about the best player,” former Grizzlies assistant coach Blake Ahearn said. “You could also ask him about the 13th player — Dillon will be able to give you a full scouting report on everybody. His attention to detail and how he prepares in order to guard guys is special.”
Moses Moody is set to become the third-longest tenured player on the Warriors if restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga doesn’t return, writes DJ Siddiqi for RG. Moody credits his relationship with Draymond Green as a big part of his growth over the years. “He teaches me so much, not even just about basketball, but I’ll go to his room, hang out and talk to him all the time about all types of things. We actually went to his house when I was in LA last week, and he showed me different things and was teaching me about art,” Moody said. “He’s taught me about finance, about money, about the league, about being a professional… He’s just been that guy for me.”

Execs Weigh In On Jonathan Kuminga’s Value

July 25th, 2025 at 2:49pm CST by Luke Adams

When forward Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors failed to come to terms on a rookie scale extension last fall, Anthony Slater – working for The Athletic at the time – wrote that “it’s possible Kuminga would’ve accepted a contract below max value, but the Warriors never upped their offer (somewhere near the $30ish million per year range) into an appealing enough ballpark.”

A maximum-salary contract for Kuminga would’ve been worth roughly $43MM per season on a four-year deal or nearly $45MM on a five-year deal. While it’s clear that the Warriors weren’t willing to pay that price, agent Aaron Turner tweeted this week that Kuminga also never received or turned down an offer worth even $30MM annually.

Appearing on The Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link) on Friday with new colleague Brian Windhorst, Slater – now employed by ESPN – essentially confirmed as much.

According to Slater, while the two sides had plenty of conversations about a new deal, the Warriors were hesitant to put a concrete offer on the table for Kuminga last fall because he would have been subject to the poison pill provision in 2024/25 if he had signed an extension and they wanted to keep their trade options open.

“I think Jalen Johnson getting five years, $150MM gave a target,” Slater said. “… I’m of the belief – and I’ve been told – that (Kuminga’s camp) would’ve taken five for $150MM if it was ever on the table. It wasn’t on the table.”

Nine months later, after an up-and-down season in which Kuminga was limited to 47 appearances and saw his numbers drop in several statistical categories, the consensus around the NBA is that the now-restricted-free-agent’s current value is well below $30MM per year.

Fred Katz of The Athletic polled 16 sources who work in rival front offices to ask them what they believe a “fair” contract for Kuminga would look like. Their answers, according to Katz, ranged from $17-25MM in average annual value, with Kuminga’s biggest fan in the group advocating for a five-year, $125MM deal.

The majority of the respondents, Katz writes, expressed that a three-year deal would make the most sense, with many of those rival staffers suggesting a third-year player option and a few of them likening Kuminga’s situation to that of Jalen Green in Houston. The former Rockets guard signed a three-year, $105MM rookie scale extension with a third-year player option last fall and was traded to Phoenix earlier this month just as that deal took effect.

“It feels like a Jalen Green-type deal that keeps him tradable,” one team official who suggested a three-year, $70MM contract told Katz. “Definitely less than he probably wants, but the player option gives him some options.”

“If I’m the agent, I’m trying to get a short-term deal so I can get out of there and get somewhere else but still make some money in the meantime,” another respondent said.

As Katz writes, it’s not out of the question that Kuminga would accept his $8MM qualifying offer, which would line him up to reach unrestricted free agency in 2026. But that would represent a risky path for both the 22-year-old and the Warriors, who could badly use a player earning a salary in the $15-25MM range for trade purposes. Currently, Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green – who aren’t considered trade candidates – are the only Golden State players with cap hits exceeding $11.6MM in 2025/26.

“If he takes the qualifying offer, the Warriors are f—ed from a team-building standpoint, because they need to get him on a deal where they can trade him,” one executive said. “That’s the key for them.”

In case you missed it, we relayed several of the latest rumors on Kuminga’s restricted free agency in a pair of stories on Thursday.

Fischer’s Latest: RFAs, Smart, Vucevic, Brogdon

July 25th, 2025 at 11:12am CST by Luke Adams

In addition to sharing the latest updates on Nets guard Cam Thomas, NBA insider Jake Fischer checked in on the other three most notable remaining restricted free agents during his Bleacher Report live stream on Thursday, discussing Bulls guard Josh Giddey, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, and Sixers guard Quentin Grimes.

Fischer stated that he doesn’t expect there to be resolution on either Giddey or Grimes this month (YouTube link) and expressed a belief that Grimes, Kuminga, and Thomas will eventually agree to short-term deals with their respective teams rather than long-term contracts (YouTube link).

While that leaves Giddey as the most likely player of the quartet to work out a longer-term agreement, Fischer added that he thinks Giddey’s dynamic with the Bulls is the “most strained” of the bunch right now, due to how the negotiations have played out so far (YouTube link).

Here’s more from Fischer:

Before Marcus Smart agreed to a buyout with Washington and signed with the Lakers, the Wizards had “a ton” of trade discussions about the former Defensive Player of the Year, per Fischer (YouTube link). The Bucks, Hawks, and Heat were among the teams that spoke to the Wizards about possible deals involving Smart, according to Fischer, who says that Washington and Miami talked at one point about a trade that would’ve included Terry Rozier.
Responding to a question about the possibility of the Bulls trading Nikola Vucevic, Fischer stressed that there isn’t much of a market for the veteran center (YouTube link). “I think at this juncture, we’re probably more likely to see a Nikola Vucevic buyout mid-season than we are to see a trade,” Fischer said. “Depending on how the market unfolds, depending on how injuries develop. There just really hasn’t been much of a Nikola Vucevic trade market in a while.”
Fischer views the Timberwolves as perhaps the most logical landing spot for free agent guard Malcolm Brogdon (YouTube link). Fischer acknowledges that that Minnesota wants to give youngsters Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. more opportunities to establish themselves as rotation players, but notes that the team could use another veteran option to complement Mike Conley, who will turn 38 in October. “I think Minnesota still stands as a really good situation for Malcolm Brogdon and one that he’s been monitoring, one that the Wolves have checked in on,” Fischer said. “I’m not making a prediction, but I think that’s a good situation for Malcolm Brogdon.”

Latest On Jonathan Kuminga

July 24th, 2025 at 10:45pm CST by Rory Maher

In a story for ESPN.com, Anthony Slater has provided more details regarding the stalemate between the Warriors and restricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga.

According to Slater, the two sides did not discuss the financial terms of a new contract leading up to free agency, which led to Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, seeking sign-and-trades from rival teams. The Suns and Kings have shown the most external interest in Kuminga to this point, sources tell Slater, confirming reporting from his colleague Shams Charania.

John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 continues to hear the Suns are high on Kuminga and says they remain interested in trying to find ways to acquire him, despite having limited assets at their disposal (Twitter link). However, Golden State’s front office hasn’t been impressed with the offers from Phoenix or Sacramento, Slater writes.

In a potential Kuminga sign-and-trade, the Warriors don’t want to take on unfavorable contracts, “would like” to add a talented young player, and are determined to receive a first-rounder, per Slater’s sources.

As Slater details, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. was motivated to get a deal done this week and recently offered Kuminga what the the club believes is the “highest starting salary” he currently has on the table. But the 22-year-old wasn’t moved by the offer, as he told Charania, and seems much more interested in landing with another team.

Signing his $7.98MM qualifying offer, which is essentially just a one-year contract with an implied no-trade clause, is an option Kuminga is considering, sources tell Slater. Choosing that path would cost Kuminga money in the short term but would give him more control of his situation and an opportunity to hit unrestricted free agency in 2026, Slater notes.

Part of the reason that Kuminga is trying to find a new home is that he has a “painful memory” of being out of the Warriors’ rotation in their first-round playoff series vs. Houston, according to Slater. The former lottery pick desires a featured offensive role and wants to be a consistent starter, Slater adds.

A source tells Ashish Mathur of DallasHoopsJournal.com that Kuminga has “made it known behind the scenes” that he doesn’t want to continue his career in Golden State, partly because he doesn’t think he can become an All-Star with the Warriors. Kuminga publicly discussed his All-Star ambitions last month in an interview with Slater.

Restricted Free Agent Kuminga, Warriors Remain At Impasse

July 24th, 2025 at 3:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Negotiations between restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors remain at a stalemate, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (Twitter video link).

“It’s a staring contest between these two sides that could continue much longer than just this month,” Charania said.

NBA insider Jake Fischer reported last week that Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, has held numerous discussions with Warriors officials in Las Vegas this month trying to secure a contract that pays at least $25MM in average annual salary, even in the short term. According to Fischer, the Warriors have been reluctant to meet that price in a long-term agreement.

Charania visited with Kuminga on Wednesday said that the 22-year-old forward told him that he was in “absolutely no rush to do a deal with the Warriors.” According to new ESPN insider Anthony Slater (video link), coach Steve Kerr has been in contact with Kuminga during the process but Kerr’s tendency to reduce his role during crunch time and in the postseason has left some “scar tissue,” adding that Kuminga no longer wants to be a “Plan B” option.

Turner continues to pursue possible sign-and-trade transactions. According to Charania, the Suns and Kings “have made concrete offers with the Warriors over the last week or so.” Those clubs have also offered Kuminga an “opportunity for significant minutes, a starting-caliber role” and “those are two things he wants more than anything.”

Golden State has balked at the packages those teams have offered, which leaves Kuminga as well as the organization in limbo. The Wizards, Heat, Bulls, Bucks, and Nets have also been previously named as possible suitors for Kuminga.

The Warriors’ other potential offseason moves have been delayed until the Kuminga situation is resolved, Charania adds. Slater identifies Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton and Seth Curry as free agents that Golden State is interested in. The Warriors currently have just nine players on standard contracts.

Kuminga appeared in just 47 games in 2024/25, having missed more than two months due to a badly sprained ankle. He had an inconsistent role when healthy, averaging 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 24.3 minutes per game, with a .454/.305/.668 shooting line.

Although he was out of the Warriors’ rotation entirely for some key games at the end of the regular season and in the postseason, Kuminga averaged 24.3 points per game on .554/.389/.720 shooting in his final four playoff games vs. Minnesota after Stephen Curry injured his hamstring.