Jonathan Kuminga has dominated headlines throughout the entire NBA offseason. In less than one week, a conclusion to his standoff with the Golden State Warriors will be reached, as Kuminga has until Wednesday, October 1, to make a decision on his $7.9 million qualifying offer for the 2025-26 NBA season.
Between all that has happened this offseason with headliner trades involving Kevin Durant and Desmond Bane, this unique Kuminga situation has been the most fascinating to follow.
On one hand, you have a 22-year-old forward at the end of his rookie contract wanting more opportunities to prove himself and grow into an All-Star talent. This is the type of mentality every team in the league wants from its young talents.
Then there is the other side of this situation, one where the player's asking price on a new contract exceeds his market value and that which his team has placed upon him.
When the offseason began, it was clear that Kuminga and the Warriors had already met at a crossroads and decided to take opposite paths.
Whereas Kuminga was seeking a fresh start with a new team, Golden State explored the market to determine what a potential sign-and-trade would entail. Ultimately, the two paths that were going separate ways have conjoined once more.
With Kuminga's trade market not equating to what the Warriors had hoped for and neither side willing to blink to this point in contract negotiations, each has essentially been handcuffed throughout the summer.
This drama-filled saga, one that has resulted in Aaron Turner, Kuminga's agent, going on a media tour to reveal key details in negotiations with the Warriors, is finally about to meet its end.
Will Kuminga and the Warriors find common ground on a new contract entering the 2025-26 season, or will the young forward and his agent do what they've been hinting at and accept his $7.9 million qualifying offer to bet on himself?
After all, doing so presents the ultimate flexibility to Kuminga and sets him free from Golden State's grasp as an unrestricted free agent next summer. Then again, taking a chance and passing up on a deal where he would see over $48 million in guaranteed money would be a tough pill to swallow.
The Kuminga-Warriors staredown is coming to an end, and yet there is still much to discuss before a decision is made.
The best decision for Jonathan Kuminga is…
When the Warriors made their two-year, $45 million proposal to Kuminga with a team option and wording where he would waive his no-trade clause, this was viewed as the best offer on the table throughout negotiations this offseason.
Kuminga and his side made it clear this wasn't a contract they held much desire for, especially considering that the team option in Year 2 would give Golden State full control over the forward's immediate future.
Since Kuminga is helping the Warriors financially by taking less money on the front end of a potential deal, he wants to feel valued by receiving a player option on any proposal containing a team option.
One of the main reasons why Kuminga has held a desire to leave the Warriors this offseason is because he hasn't felt valued.
Between all that has occurred through the years, with head coach Steve Kerr benching him and contract negotiations over the last year never appearing to be a two-way street, Kuminga has felt a level of disrespect from the organization he was drafted by and has spent the last four seasons with.
Although he has talked with other teams this offseason and walked away from those conversations feeling more confident than any time he discussed his future with the Warriors this offseason, Kuminga's focus still revolves around getting a fair deal from Golden State, league sources told ClutchPoints.
Over the last few weeks leading up to his Oct. 1 deadline, the Warriors have been in constant communication with Kuminga and his agent, even presenting the framework of an increased offer: a three-year, $75.2 million contract with a team option, which was first reported by ESPN.
From Kuminga's perspective, this increased value and the $48 million he would be guaranteed in this contract still aren't what he wants simply because of the team option at the back end of the contract. Kuminga wants to control his future, and that is something Turner has clearly discussed over the last week during multiple media appearances.
The bottom line is that if the Warriors were willing to change the team option to a player option on this three-year proposal, Kuminga would sign it immediately, sources said. Much of the same can be said about the two-year, $45 million proposal. If the Dubs change the team option to a player option on any contract, Kuminga will happily accept the contract.
To this point in negotiations, the Warriors have not signaled that this is a path they want to explore, sources said. Golden State has shown no willingness to offer Kuminga a player option, as the organization believes their $75.2 million proposal as is gives Kuminga stability as a core member of the team and the opportunity to capitalize on his value.
Kuminga and his side have not backed down from asking for the player option because they understand the predicament the Warriors are in and have used such vulnerability as leverage.
It isn't a secret to anyone around the league that the Warriors want Kuminga back first and foremost as an inflated trade exception.
While many in the organization still value his production and long-term potential, signing him to a contract valued anywhere from $18 million to $25 million in a season is essentially a massive trade exception.
The Warriors need Kuminga back on a contract that can be moved at any time, which is why the qualifying offer dooms any potential plans the franchise has on the trade market. Regardless of how things have played out this offseason in negotiations, having a high-flying, athletic 22-year-old forward on a near $20 million per year contract is valuable for Golden State.
If there isn't a long-term deal to be had here and Kuminga does return on his qualifying offer, then any ideas of the two sides finding common ground and potentially working together are out the door.
This would be an extremely toxic situation for the Warriors because it would essentially be Kuminga checking out early.
Golden State wants a team option. Kuminga wants a player option. Could there potentially be middle ground here for a straight two- or three-year contract with no options whatsoever?
Should this be something the Dubs explore, it is believed that Kuminga would be interested, sources said. Even so, there are still some roadblocks in this hypothetical offer since the Warriors would push for a two-year contract at a lower value.
Many continue to ask about the potential of a sign-and-trade before Kuminga's Oct. 1 qualifying offer deadline, given no progress is being made between him and the Warriors, yet the organization's stance has not changed on this front.
The Warriors have not been presented with any deals in which they see value on the sign-and-trade front despite multiple attempts from the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings to pursue Kuminga. At this point, it would come as a shock if there was a sign-and-trade over the next week despite the Kings' last-ditch effort to acquire the young forward.
Sacramento pursued Kuminga hard when free agency first began. At no point was a deal close to being made. The two teams spoke again during NBA Summer League about the possibility of a sign-and-trade — a time when Malik Monk and a protected first-round pick became the Kings' best offer.
This wasn't a deal the Warriors were interested in, not only because of the protections on the future first being discussed, which would be in 2030, but because of Monk. He is still under contract for three years, and acquiring Monk would force Golden State to part ways with Buddy Hield or Moses Moody to remain in decent financial standing.
The Warriors have made it clear they will not be trading Moody or Hield this offseason, sources said.
That has not stopped the Kings from attempting one last time to get Kuminga. The two sides spoke again earlier this week, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. However, it was the Kings who renewed these discussions, league sources said.
Monk may be a really strong player, especially in his sixth-man role, but the Warriors don't have interest in his contract whatsoever. Not to mention some in the organization don't see value in adding Monk, especially with De'Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, and Seth Curry waiting to sign their deals.
The only way a sign-and-trade could work at this time is if Monk was sent to a third team. Again, this is a very unlikely scenario with training camps starting around the league and Monk's market outside of talks with the Warriors this offseason being nonexistent.
Between Kuminga and Monk, the Warriors would much rather have the young forward on their roster since they already understand his role and believe he carries more immediate trade value on an inflated contract than Monk, who is under contract through the 2027-28 season.
With training camp beginning for the Warriors on Sept. 29 and the idea of a sign-and-trade essentially being off the table, it's time to find a solution to this long, drawn-out situation with Kuminga. Will he sacrifice a lot of money to accept his qualifying offer or will the two sides agree to a new proposal in the final hours of negotiations?
There is no denying that Kuminga's best option is to accept the money — something the Warriors believe. There is also no denying that Golden State's best option is to flip the team option to a player option and get a deal done to make everyone happy — something Kuminga's side believes.
Many around the league still believe that a deal will be reached before the Oct. 1 deadline and Kuminga won't accept his qualifying offer, sources said. But as the clock continues to tick, every minute that goes by with no deal being reached is one step closer to that one-year offer ending any relationship Golden State still has with Kuminga.
How this saga ends will immediately impact what the Warriors' future looks like.
Quentin Grimes following Jonathan Kuminga's RFA holdout
The only other restricted free agency situation that exists right before training camp is Quentin Grimes and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Throughout the offseason, the Sixers have never once been concerned that Grimes won't be on their roster for the 2025-26 season. He is a vital part of their potential success coming off an outstanding offensive display at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, and Grimes is even more important with Jared McCain injured.
McCain suffered a UCL tear in his right thumb during a workout on Thursday, and he is consulting with specialists on whether he will need surgery. Whether he undergoes a procedure or not, McCain will likely miss the start of the season and be sidelined for at least a month.
The 76ers are hosting their Media Day on Friday and traveling to Abu Dhabi for the start of their preseason this weekend. Grimes won't be at Media Day, and he is not traveling with the team overseas as his contract situation drags on.
Unlike the Warriors' standoff with Kuminga, the 76ers are content with any outcome. Even if a long-term deal isn't reached and Grimes returns on his qualifying offer, the Sixers know he will still be a key part of what they plan to do during the 2025-26 season.
That is why their first contract offer to Grimes came on Thursday, an offer that the 25-year-old and his camp immediately declined and probably laughed at. Philadelphia offered Grimes a four-year, $39 million structure that is essentially a four-year qualifying offer, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
This isn't close to the value Grimes has wanted this offseason, as he and his agent, David Bauman of The Familie, want a deal in the $20 million to $25 million range. It would be shocking if Philadelphia committed this type of money to Grimes, especially since they would not be in a sound financial position if they did so.
A long-term deal is pretty much out of the question for Grimes at this juncture. The likely scenarios are either Grimes accepting his qualifying offer, or the 76ers giving Grimes a one-year deal with an inflated value above $15 million, sources said.
At the start of free agency, Bauman presented an increased one-year deal for his client, one where Grimes would make $17.5 million to $21 million, according to Scotto. This seems to be the only scenario where Grimes wouldn't be back on his qualifying offer.
Philadelphia is currently $9.8 million from the first apron, and they have $21.6 million to work with until reaching the second apron. Although they have explored the possibility of moving either Kelly Oubre Jr. or Andre Drummond for more cap relief, there is not much interest around the league in either player right now.
Any one-year deal Grimes may sign would come with a no-trade clause, which the 76ers would definitely want him to waive so they can keep their options open during the 2025-26 season. Grimes and his agent would be open to such a move, unlike Kuminga and the Warriors, but waiving his no-trade clause would result in the 76ers needing to pay the guard more money.
There is reason to believe that a one-year, $15-18 million contract can be reached between Grimes and the 76ers, a deal that would keep the organization below the dreaded second apron. Then again, if the 76ers don't offer this type of “balloon deal,” as everyone is calling it, then Grimes will simply accept his qualifying offer.
As Scotto mentioned, there is also the possibility of the two sides agreeing to push back his Oct. 1 qualifying offer deadline so more time can be given to negotiate a contract. League sources shared similar remarks with ClutchPoints on Wednesday, claiming that this situation between Grimes and the Sixers could extend past next Wednesday.
The 76ers have not explored sign-and-trade scenarios involving Grimes this offseason, and they are committed to him being on their Opening Night roster, sources said. He will be back with the Sixers, but whether Grimes ultimately accepts his qualifying offer or an inflated one-year deal is the question at hand in Philadelphia.
Rockets' next steps without Fred VanVleet
When the Houston Rockets added Kevin Durant this offseason to their already established, talented core, it seemed as if this organization would once again contend at the top of the West with the Oklahoma City Thunder. While that is still a possibility, their quest to do so has become 10x harder before the season has even started because of Fred VanVleet's knee injury.
VanVleet suffered a torn right ACL on Monday during a team mini camp in the Bahamas and underwent surgery on Thursday. Although he has not officially been ruled out for the season by the Rockets, it's a long shot that VanVleet can return for the playoffs and be 100 percent.
This is a significant blow to the Rockets because of how valuable VanVleet is. Aside from being the team's starting point guard, the former NBA champion has acted as the bridge between Houston's starters and their bench.
He stabilizes things when the game speeds up, and VanVleet has always been one of the more underrated defenders in the game. Without him on the floor for the vast majority, if not all, of the 2025-26 season, the Rockets will struggle.
The Rockets don't have another pick-and-roll passer, 3-point shooter, or hard-nosed perimeter defensive point guard like VanVleet.
Amen Thompson evolved into a high-potential two-way guard last season, but there are still some concerns about his overall facilitating duties as a potential lead guard. Not to mention, he shot only 27.5 percent from 3-point range last season.
Aaron Holiday is a strong 3-point shooter, but he is not known as a strong defender. The 28-year-old also isn't known for being a playmaker and facilitator when on the floor in Houston.
Of course, then there is Reed Sheppard, the third pick in last year's NBA Draft. The Rockets have remained high on Sheppard despite his limited minutes during the 2024-25 season, and he is expected to hold a key role this season alongside Thompson with VanVleet sidelined, league sources said.
Sheppard showed a lot of promise as a willing passer during his time in the G League, and the Rockets believe he can be a 40 percent 3-point shooter in this league. Even so, he is a second-year player with virtually no NBA experience who will now be thrust into an important role for a team that expects to win a championship.
The one area of weakness that the Rockets had entering the 2025-26 season was guard depth, and now that weakness has opened up into a massive, glaring void.
Unfortunately for Houston, they can't replace VanVleet with a veteran free agent guard because they don't have the money to do so. After all the offseason moves they made, the Rockets ended up hard-capped at the first apron, which they are $1.25 million from reaching.
The organization can't cross the first apron at any point during the 2025-26 season. As a result, the Rockets are unable to sign a veteran player and would only be able to make a trade if the salaries aligned.
Only Durant, Thompson, Sheppard, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., and Tari Eason are eligible to be traded at this time.
No massive roster move is coming for the Rockets, and the organization will enter the preseason looking to get Thompson and Sheppard as many reps as they can at the point guard position, sources said. It is also expected that Durant and Sengun will take on larger ball-handling roles with VanVleet out of the picture.
Houston will not be able to sign a player to a prorated contract and possibly expand on their guard depth until January.
Cavs' projected starting lineup and developing trade situation
Darius Garland will miss the start of the 2025-26 season as he recovers from offseason toe surgery. The good news for the Cleveland Cavaliers is that Garland has been progressing well, and there is optimism that he will be able to make his season debut sometime in the middle of NBA Cup play.
Max Strus will also miss the start of the season after suffering a Jones fracture in his left foot. He underwent surgery for this injury, and the Cavs revealed he would miss approximately three to four months. The end of December would be the earliest Strus could potentially return, although it's more likely he will be held out until the calendar flips to 2026.
After going 64-18 last season and claiming the 1-seed in the East, Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs have their work cut out for them if they are to replicate their success without two key starters.
From the Cavs' point of view, they are excited about the depth that exists next to Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, sources said.
Sharpshooter Sam Merrill is a player head coach Kenny Atkinson raves about and is exceptionally high on. After letting Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Ty Jerome depart in free agency, Merrill agreed to a four-year, $38 million deal. He is expected to start alongside Mitchell in the backcourt.
Lonzo Ball is another player the Cavs are thrilled to welcome to their organization after trading Isaac Okoro to the Chicago Bulls. Given his size, defensive instincts, and natural passing abilities, Ball will immediately make an impact in the second unit if he can remain healthy.
Without Strus on the wing, De'Andre Hunter and Jaylon Tyson will hold essential roles on both ends of the court.
Whereas Hunter will start and look to build off an impressive 2024-25 campaign, where he averaged 17.0 points per game and shot 40.5 percent from 3-point range, Tyson will get his chance to prove himself in Year 2. Atkinson has been a big advocate for Tyson this offseason.
“I think he's had a phenomenal offseason. I'm really excited,” the Cavs coach said of Tyson in a recent press conference with GM Koby Altman. “I want the games to start now so we can get a real feel where he is, but my gut says he’s gonna be a real contributor on this team.”
One player who finds himself in an interesting situation in Cleveland that many teams are monitoring entering the new year is Dean Wade.
While he has dealt with some injuries over the last couple of seasons with the Cavaliers, Wade has established himself as a key contributor. The 6-foot-9 stretch forward has averaged 5.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 37.5 percent from 3-point range since the start of the 2023-24 season.
Multiple teams called the Cavs this offseason before free agency began, inquiring about Wade's availability, sources said. Among the teams with heavy interest in Wade, the Rockets stood out as a prime suitor.
Houston was willing to offer Wade a contract extension valued around the mid-level exception, which is the same deal that Dorian Finney-Smith ultimately received from the Rockets in free agency.
Wade now enters the 2025-26 season as a viable trade candidate in Cleveland, and there is a growing sense of belief that he will be on the move before February's trade deadline. However, with Garland and Strus sidelined, Wade figures to have a clear path to minutes in Atkinson's rotations to begin the new year.
Other notes and intel around the NBA:
Charlotte Hornets: As the Charlotte Hornets enter training camp and need to cut their roster size down before the start of the 2025-26 season, the organization decided to part ways with 2023 first-round pick Nick Smith Jr. on Thursday afternoon, league sources told ClutchPoints. Charlotte now has 16 players under contract, including big man Moussa Diabate on a non-guaranteed deal.
The Charlotte Hornets are parting ways with 2023 first-round pick Nick Smith Jr., league sources told @ClutchPoints.
Smith will make $2.71M this year after being waived by the team before his third season.
First to report was @MikeAScotto.
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) September 25, 2025
Diabate is expected to be on the Hornets' roster this season, which means another roster move will be coming. Veteran wing Pat Connaughton is a player many around the league are expecting Charlotte to also cut ties with.
Indiana Pacers: The Indiana Pacers, who face the tall task of replacing Tyrese Haliburton this season, were expected to sign veteran guard Monte Morris to a non-guaranteed training camp deal. Unfortunately for Morris, he suffered a calf injury, and the team opted not to sign him.
Instead, the Pacers will be signing Delon Wright to the same non-guaranteed deal, assuming he passes his physical. Wright will join Tony Bradley and James Wiseman as three players fighting for two roster spots in the preseason. Wiseman has a handful of fans in the Pacers organization and is said to be an early frontrunner for one of the two open spots, sources said.
Miami Heat: Throughout the summer, Precious Achiuwa has been spending time in Miami. He even bought a two-bedroom condo in South Beach, which led to our prediction in July that he would sign a deal with the Heat. That has come true, as Achiuwa signed a one-year, non-guaranteed deal with Miami on Wednesday.
The Heat have an open roster spot and can sign Achiuwa without any major financial ramifications. While doing so would take them slightly over the tax line for the 2025-26 season, the organization can easily move below this threshold before the trade deadline in February and avoid paying taxes.
As far as Terry Rozier and Andrew Wiggins go, there are no new developments on this front. Rozier does not want a buyout despite the Heat exploring ways to move him before the season. Without Tyler Herro, perhaps there is a chance at redemption for the veteran guard in Erik Spoelstra's rotations.
Miami fielded trade inquiries from multiple teams interested in Wiggins this offseason, sources said. The Los Angeles Lakers have been at the forefront of Wiggins trade rumors but have not been willing to come close to Miami's asking price for the former All-Star wing. Should the Heat struggle this season, Wiggins' asking price may very well decrease come December and January.
