There are exactly 10 days until the Golden State Warriors begin training camp, and Jonathan Kuminga's restrictive free agency standoff continues. A solution is likely to be reached before camp begins, but will the Warriors or Kuminga come away as the ultimate winners of this three-month holdout?
Perhaps there is a path where both sides can come out on top and get exactly what they want.
Before the 2024-25 NBA season began and Kuminga was entering the final year of his rookie contract, all he wanted was respect. His inconsistent role and the organization's unwillingness to budge on their offer put the 22-year-old in an awkward spot where he bet on himself ahead of restricted free agency.
Well, 18 weeks have passed since Golden State's season ended, and they still find themselves in the same position they were in at the start of the offseason: no deal for Kuminga, and the rest of their moves held up as a result.
Al Horford hasn't been able to sign his two-year contract that is lined up because of the Dubs' cap situation as they wait for Kuminga. De'Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II have also not officially signed their deals with Golden State. And then there is Seth Curry, who is likely to finally get the chance to play alongside his brother in The Bay.
The Warriors have been at peace, knowing that they have verbal agreements in place and these free agency deals are all but signed at this point. Still, time is running out to make a decision on Kuminga.
After entering the summer holding leverage over the young forward, his commitment to playing the long game and forcing the Warriors' hand has put the organization in a spot where they will make the final contract decision before Kuminga officially blinks.
At this point, Kuminga will be back with Golden State, a scenario that was always at the forefront of the Dubs' minds. Although sign-and-trade avenues were explored, no strong value ever presented itself to the Warriors.
The Sacramento Kings offered Malik Monk and a protected first-round pick, while the Phoenix Suns were willing to sacrifice some second-round assets with veteran Royce O'Neale. Neither offer came close to what the Dubs expected for Kuminga, which is why they shut down all trade discussions weeks ago and continue to signal they are not willing to talk with either team.
Barring a drastic change in this mindset that has existed since right after NBA Summer League in July, no sign-and-trade will be made over the next 10 days, and Kuminga will sign a deal with the Warriors.
Will this be a new two- or three-year contract, or will he be forced to accept his one-year qualifying offer? This is the question Kuminga has flipped onto Joe Lacob, Mike Dunleavy Jr., and the Warriors after their latest and final offer.
What will Jonathan Kuminga decide?
As everyone knows at this point, the Warriors have shown a sense of vulnerability and budged before Kuminga did on their initial two-year, $45 million offer containing a team option and a waived no-trade clause.
After holding firm on this offer and signaling this was their best offer, Golden State has since raised the bar slightly to a three-year, $75.2 million deal with a team option, according to ESPN. This contract guarantees Kuminga over $48 million and aligns him financially with the contract Josh Giddey just received from the Chicago Bulls.
Once Giddey received his new deal, Kuminga and his camp immediately went back to the Dubs and made it clear this was the value they wanted on a contract offer, league sources told ClutchPoints.
Of course, already giving thought to the idea of reaching a compromise, the Warriors submitted a final, updated offer with more guaranteed money than they previously did, more long-term security, and the willingness to welcome Kuminga back with open arms in a firm role.
Then again, the final year of this new contract still contained a team option, which was the problem with the team's initial offer.
The main issue with the team option, from Aaron Turner, his agent, and Kuminga's point of view, is that it gives the Warriors full control over him.
Since Turner and Kuminga believe they would be aiding the team in the short term by accepting a smaller figure in Year 1 of a three-year proposal to keep them under the second apron, the least they could do is give Kuminga flexibility with a player option. Doing so would finally signal to Kuminga that the organization respects him, and that is all this is about.
Throughout negotiations dating back to last summer, Kuminga has wanted to feel respected and not like the only player who needs to sacrifice. While he is willing to do so in order for the team to ultimately remain in a comfortable tax bracket, the 22-year-old and his representation aren't forgetting how important he is to the roster.
As a result, a smaller figure on the frontend of a new contract must see Kuminga making more on the backend and receive a player option over team control.
Kuminga wants full control of his future at this stage of negotiation, and that is why this three-year offer still isn't good enough in his eyes. Now, if that option is instead flipped to a player option where Kuminga can decide his future for the 2027-28 season, then a deal will be agreed to and signed immediately.
If he gets what he wants, Kuminga would return to San Francisco with a smile on his face and ready to prove himself next to Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green in his fifth season.
Until then, the qualifying offer remains an option — the ultimate lose-lose scenario for everyone.
While Kuminga gets full control of his contract situation in 2026 by accepting the $7.9 million qualifying offer, he would be passing up close to $50 million in guaranteed money, and his relationship with everyone associated with the Dubs would be fractured. From the opposite perspective, such a decision results in the Warriors losing the ability to trade Kuminga or develop him further.
With training camp about to start and a new offer on the table, Kuminga has again made his demands to the Warriors clear.
This time, it appears as if he has some backup from the team's stars, who simply want an ending to the drama so they can focus on the 2025-26 season, a year the organization anticipates competing for a championship.
Over the last few weeks, the Warriors veterans — Curry, Green, and Butler — have all communicated with the Dubs' brain trust to get a deal done, sources said. All three stars want Kuminga back on the roster, as his athleticism, durability, and production can't be replicated. If lost, Kuminga's void will be felt throughout the 82-game season.
This has not been a case of solely Butler checking in with the front office to try and get things rolling in terms of their signings waiting on the curb. Everyone wants a solution, that way there isn't yet another dark cloud hanging over the Warriors as they begin training camp.
Business is business, and Golden State's veterans understand that. But at the same time, Kuminga has signaled that he is willing to help the team with a smaller initial cap figure, and all he wants in return is the respect to decide on his own future down the road. Steph, Draymond, and Jimmy have been advocates for the organization to make Kuminga happy with this request, sources said.
Of course, these discussions that Curry, Green, and Butler held with the Warriors' leadership have not happened over the last few days when reports of a new deal came out. These have been ongoing conversations throughout the summer that have taken place throughout August and into September.
It is worth mentioning that Green has been a key mentor and supporter for Kuminga behind the scenes.
The veteran has always spoken highly of Kuminga's potential, and he has wanted him back since the offseason began. Should he return to the Dubs, it does not appear as if this relationship between Green and the young forward will change to a negative perception, sources said.
Although the ball is in Kuminga's court to make a decision on which contract offer he will accept, the young forward is still giving the organization a chance to make things right with one final tweak to their recent proposal.
The two sides remain in constant communication, and that has not changed throughout the offseason.
There is a strong chance that Golden State will ultimately cave and change the team option to a player option, giving Kuminga a reason to return and continue proving himself in a Warriors uniform.
In doing so, Kuminga won't hold any grudges, and he will continue to give it his all on the floor. Kuminga wants to do everything in his power to achieve the one goal everyone in San Francisco has: win by any means necessary.
The only order of business that matters for the Warriors right now is finalizing a new deal with Kuminga, allowing him to be an impactful player to begin the 2025-26 season, not one who knows he is leaving in 2026 after taking the qualifying offer.
Only then can the organization begin looking ahead to his long-term future and whether they will trade Kuminga before February's trade deadline, which has been at the forefront of the organization's mind since these offseason negotiations began, sources said.
This idea of the Warriors wanting to trade Kuminga after bringing him back on a new deal has been prevalent and has continued to lead to speculation of who the franchise would target. Having Kuminga on a cap figure north of $20 million is highly advantageous to the organization, and it gives the Dubs plenty of options to explore before the trade deadline.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James are obviously the Warriors' two dream targets, yet other names have been reported as well.
One of which is Trey Murphy III, a 25-year-old wing who has displayed a lot of offensive potential both on- and off-the-ball. Murphy is undoubtedly a player Golden State would have interest in should he be made available, yet the New Orleans Pelicans have consistently shut down any conversations relating to their young wing.
With a cap figure of $25 million and still having four more years left on his new contract, maybe Murphy is the player Golden State would aim for in a potential deal involving Kuminga. Bringing him back on a two- or three-year contract instead of the qualifying offer is essential to the Warriors because it keeps all of their options open, especially on the trade market.
How the next 10 days play out and what Golden State decides to offer Kuminga regarding the team and player option in the final year of their proposal will make or break their immediate future. At this point, if Kuminga will sign immediately if offered a player option, it makes the most sense for both sides to shake hands and move forward together.
Clippers business as usual amid Kawhi Leonard investigation
*ClutchPoints' Clippers reporter Tomer Azarly contributed to this section.
Aside from the last few free-agent signings needing to be made, the NBA world has been sent into a frenzy as a result of recent news surrounding Kawhi Leonard, Steve Ballmer, and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Leonard and Ballmer are under investigation by the NBA after allegations that the multi-time All-Star received a no-show endorsement deal with a company called Aspiration, which was receiving donations from the Clippers owner, as a way of navigating the league's cap rules.
Findings from investigative journalist Pablo Torre and others suggest that Ballmer agreed to invest $50 million with Aspiration in 2021, the same time that the nonprofit organization was announced as the Clippers’ new jersey and arena sponsor. Then, the company and Leonard agreed to a four-year $28 million contract in 2022, a year after he signed a new $176 million contract to remain in Los Angeles.
Although these types of no-show contracts and endorsement deals are common with professional athletes around the nation, this one, in particular, with Leonard, Ballmer, and Aspiration, seems to have a lot of loose ends given the exact timing of payments.
Essentially, records indicate Ballmer investing a certain amount of money into Aspiration and then a subsequent transaction being made where almost the exact same financial figure was sent to Leonard as part of his agreement with the company.
Could all of this just be one big coincidence, and nobody is in the wrong here from Ballmer and Leonard's perspective? Perhaps this is the case, but the NBA and the New York-based law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz will be the judges of that.
This investigation won't be swift, and Adam Silver is devoted to finding out exactly what happened before any conclusions are made.
Until then, it is business as usual for Ballmer and the Clippers, who have done everything they can this summer to maximize their championship potential for the 2025-26 season.
Despite the drama surrounding Leonard and reports of some internal conflict existing, the organization's plans remain the same. Leonard is still under contract through the 2026-27 season, and he remains a focal point of the team. This is especially true after they traded Norman Powell in the offseason and built their roster around him.
As far as what the Clippers will look like a year or two from now, the organization is still operating with the mindset of having max cap space in 2027 and the ability to reshuffle their roster with cap space next summer.
John Collins and Chris Paul will be free agents in 2026, and the organization can decline the team options of Bogdan Bogdanovic, Brook Lopez, and Nic Batum. In total, these five players could open roughly $60 million in financial flexibility.
The Clippers are all-in on winning right now, and they have the roster and depth to do so in a crowded Western Conference. With this said, what Los Angeles currently has is their immediate future, as league sources say Ballmer and the front office aren't putting future assets into this era to keep long-term options open.
Ivica Zubac is the only player on the Clippers' roster under contract past 2027, and the organization views him as a foundational building block for the future after Leonard and James Harden.
Even so, Harden is still an important factor in the team's success, and the organization values his leadership. It is expected that his long-term future is with the Clippers alongside Zubac.
Whether or not that remains true for Leonard will be answered based on the findings of this investigation.
Latest Heat rumblings on Andrew Wiggins, Terry Rozier
The Miami Heat have been the team of mystery ever since their defeat to the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals.
Pat Riley has always had a winning standard in South Beach, yet things continue to go wrong for the Heat. Already, Miami enters the 2025-26 season with major concerns, as All-Star guard Tyler Herro will miss the start of the season and will undergo left foot/ankle surgery to repair a lingering injury that has been bothersome this offseason.
This was first reported by Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald before the national media claimed a stake in the news of Herro's upcoming surgery.
Without Herro, all the pressure of the organization falls on the shoulders of head coach Erik Spoelstra and All-Star big man Bam Adebayo.
The bottom line is that the Heat don't have enough firepower to overachieve without Herro, who will also become eligible on October 1 for a three-year, near $150 million contract extension. News of Herro's injury and upcoming surgery could not have come at a worse time for the Heat.
As a result of Herro missing the start of the season, three names stick out as essential, key pieces of the Heat's roster: Norman Powell, Andrew Wiggins, and Terry Rozier.
Although young talents like Jaime Jacquez Jr., Pelle Larsson, and Kel'el Ware will see their minutes increase, the experienced veterans on this roster must step up. Miami fans will definitely fall in love with Powell right away, assuming he is healthy at the start of the regular season.
Last year, Powell averaged 21.8 points per game and shot 41.8 percent from 3-point range. He will be an essential No. 2 scoring weapon alongside Adebayo early in the year.
Of course, Wiggins is another key talking point for the Heat, especially considering that he has been brought up in plenty of offseason trade chatter.
The Heat acquired Wiggins from the Warriors in the multi-team trade that sent Jimmy Butler to Golden State in February. With Miami, Wiggins averaged 19.0 points and 4.2 rebounds across 17 games. He also shot 45.8 percent from the floor and 36.0 percent from 3-point range.
His two-way abilities fit Spoelstra's system perfectly, which is why the Heat continue to remain high on what Wiggins can do for them during the 2025-26 season. Even so, the Heat have fielded calls from rival teams inquiring about Wiggins, who owns a $30.16 million player option for the 2026-27 season.
The Los Angeles Lakers have held extensive trade conversations with the Heat about the former first-overall pick this offseason, league sources said. After engaging in talks for Wiggins before NBA Summer League in July, Lakers executive Rob Pelinka has since tried to reignite conversations with Riley and the Heat.
At this time, Miami holds no desire to trade Wiggins before the 2025-26 season, and they are operating under the mindset of evaluating his production and fit before the trade deadline. The Heat has held a high asking price for Wiggins, one that the Lakers haven't been willing to meet.
Along with exploring the market for Wiggins this summer, the Heat have also held internal discussions about what to do with Terry Rozier.
Riley and his front office don't oftentimes miss on trades, but this is one the Heat would likely want back. Miami surrendered Kyle Lowry and a 2027 first-round pick for Rozier, who really struggled last season and fell out of Spoelstra's nightly rotations.
Now, Rozier continues to be under federal investigation surrounding unusual betting patterns about his performance on the court. To this point, Rozier has not been cleared of any wrongdoing, which is another reason, besides his lackluster numbers, why he holds no market.
Before training camp begins at the end of the month, the Heat are seriously considering cutting ties with Rozier, sources said. However, with no trade market existing and the veteran guard informing the team he has no interest in a buyout, Miami's only path to moving off Rozier would be waiving him and taking on his $26.6 million contract as dead money.
If the organization were to cut Rozier, it would open up more immediate minutes for Davion Mitchell, Dru Smith, and 2025 first-round pick Kasparus Jakucionis. Nonetheless, Rozier won't be a primary piece of Spoelstra's rotations should he be on their opening night roster.
