The cost of signing an NBA champion for the Golden State Warriors has been predicted.
The Golden State Warriors are still the only team in the NBA who are yet to sign or re-sign a player this offseason. They have nine players under contract and a line of free agents waiting to sign. However, their hands are tied until they reach an agreement with Jonathan Kuminga.
The Warriors want Kuminga to sign a two-year, $45 million deal, but their young talent looks set on leaving Golden State. Kuminga thinks the team have stunted his growth in recent seasons.
Until they know how much they will pay Kuminga for next season, the Warriors won’t officially sign free agents who have verbally agreed on deals. One of those players is an NBA champion, whose cost a reporter believes he knows.
Price named for Al Horford as Golden State Warriors look to sign former Boston Celtics champion
Al Horford is tipped to be the Warriors’ starting centre next season. The NBA champion with the Boston Celtics has been waiting for weeks to sign officially, but is currently understanding of the Kuminga saga, according to reports.
In 60 games for the Celtics, Horford averaged 9 points and 6 rebounds. He’d provide veteran leadership to the Warriors’ locker room as they eye Stephen Curry’s fifth NBA title.
NBA writer Dan Favale of Bleacher Report believes Horford will sign a two-year, $11.7 million deal with the Warriors this summer. Still, that number could change depending on the outcome of the Kuminga negotiations.
He wrote, “Depending on how the JK soap opera plays out, the Warriors could need to change up their offer.
“If Kuminga proves to be ultra-expensive, it might leave them with only the veteran’s minimum to dangle. If he leaves or gets moved in a sign-and-trade, they could technically access the entire non-taxpayer mid-level exception.”
Kuminga could sign a one-year qualifying offer for $7.9 million before leaving in 2026. That would be bad news for Golden State as it would make Kuminga untradeable, but it would open up space to bring in higher-level free agents, if any are left on the market by then.
Golden State Warriors could sign Stephen Curry’s brother in free agency
In addition to signing Horford, the Warriors are confident of signing Steph Curry’s brother, Seth Curry, alongside De’Anthony Melton in free agency.
Seth Curry shot a red-hot 45% from three-point range last season for the Charlotte Hornets. Meanwhile, Melton was a Warrior last season and scored 10 points a game for the Dubs. He played only six games, however, after suffering an ACL sprain in November.
While those players look set to sign for the Warriors, it isn’t a guarantee. The longer the Kuminga saga drags on, the more likely it becomes that those players grow frustrated and look elsewhere.
Signs of Steph Curry’s frustration with the Warriors are beginning to bubble to the surface. He said the team needs to make moves to become title contenders and is pushing behind the scenes for them to re-sign Gary Payton II.
The latest update on the discussions between Kuminga and Golden State is that owner Joe Lacob told his player that he wants him on the team for a long time. Perhaps that means a longer contract offer is in the making.
But they need to act quickly and decisively as we edge ever closer to training camp.