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This offseason is a pivotal moment for the Golden State Warriors. Mike Dunleavy Jr. and his front office are tasked with finding reliable, consistent depth around Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler in a limited market with limited options. Not to mention, Jonathan Kuminga's restricted free agency continues to loom large with no certainty in sight.
Expectations for NBA free agency as a whole were never high entering this offseason.
No real stars were available compared to recent offseasons, and many teams around the league have been finding ways to cut money from their payroll rather than add new, long-term contracts in free agency and the trade market. That is why things have been underwhelming so far, especially when it comes to Kuminga's market.
There isn't a team out there that can offer Kuminga what he wants — a contract north of $30 million per season — without having to unload other assets in the process. Between teams being tight on finances and Kuminga being a restricted free agent the Warriors control, Golden State can and will continue to take their time to carefully unfold this situation and evaluate sign-and-trade scenarios.
After all, this decision they make to ultimately keep or move on from the 22-year-old forward will directly impact the future of the franchise, both with and without Stephen Curry.
As free agency and the offseason continue, here's the latest intel from around the NBA, starting with what to make of the Kuminga holdup.
Why Warriors are waiting on Jonathan Kuminga decision
Is Kuminga seriously ready to leave the Warriors?
This is a question nobody seems to have an answer for right now. Kuminga has certainly hinted at this by claiming that he wants a larger role and the opportunity to prove his overall worth, but he has yet to signal that a return to the Warriors is out of the question.
As a restricted free agent, Kuminga does not have much leverage at this time. To make matters worse for the 22-year-old forward, he is sort of trapped at the moment because of how weak the market is for restricted free agents.
The bottom line is that Kuminga isn't in control of his situation, and the Warriors are pulling the strings on his restricted free agency. Although he and his representation have spoken with some teams since free agency began, Kuminga potentially signing an offer sheet with another team doesn't negate the fact that the Dubs can, and most likely would, match said terms to keep him.
Of course, that is assuming there isn't a clear path to a sign-and-trade. Through the first few days of free agency, there hasn't been a point where Golden State has been seriously engaged in a sign-and-trade scenario with another team for Kuminga, league sources told ClutchPoints. This is still a very fluid situation the Warriors are prepared to take their time with.
Since the Dubs control Kuminga's rights and can dictate how they want to go about sign-and-trade scenarios, the young forward doesn't hold leverage over his organization. On a positive note from the Warriors' perspective, it doesn't appear as if everything has hit rock bottom in the sense that Kuminga truly wants to leave and won't return to the team by any means.
Conversations between the two parties have been ongoing, and Kuminga still has many fans within the franchise, sources said. He wants a larger role and a chance to prove himself as a 22-year-old who has shown flashes of star-like potential. If there is a path to doing so with the Warriors, Kuminga would very much welcome that opportunity.
But that is where the holdup lies, as Kuminga has spent the last four years with the Warriors and hasn't really been given the chance to prove himself. What makes anyone think that will change during the 2025-26 season with Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green as the focal points of the roster?
If things go south quickly and Kuminga ultimately decides that he wants to create his own leverage, the only path to doing so would be to accept his $7.9 million qualifying offer, which he originally had no intention of taking whatsoever. Accepting said qualifying offer would be Kuminga betting on himself with a one-year deal that grants him a no-trade clause and a path to unrestricted free agency in a much better 2026 market.
This scenario would put the Warriors' backs up against the wall because they'd essentially lose the young forward for nothing. No matter what Kuminga wants and ultimately decides in the coming weeks, Golden State isn't prepared to let him leave and not get anything of value in return, sources said.
Once again, that brings us back to the idea of a Kuminga sign-and-trade in a weak free agency market with no teams having elite spending power. Five teams outside of Golden State have been brought up over the last month as realistic suitors for Kuminga: the Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Sacramento Kings, and New Orleans Pelicans.
Warriors next steps for Kuminga and NBA free agency
Despite entering the offseason with the most cap space, there hasn't been any word that Brooklyn is seriously considering a run at Kuminga. After making five selections in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, the Nets continue to talk with Cam Thomas and his representation over his restricted free agency.
The Bulls are another team where the word surrounding Kuminga basically ends up at a dead end. There has been no serious push from Chicago to pursue Kuminga, given their restricted free agent situation with Josh Giddey. Chicago also added Isaac Okoro and Noa Essengue this offseason, two athletic forwards who would compete for minutes with Kuminga if he were on the Bulls' roster as well.
That leaves the Heat, Kings, and Pelicans as three organizations worth discussing as plausible sign-and-trade partners for the Warriors.
Not much has been said about Miami recently. After letting Duncan Robinson walk in free agency, the Heat are below the first apron and still looming on the trade market as a team wanting to make a substantial move. Andrew Wiggins and Terry Rozier are two players the Heat would like to trade, sources said. Neither player would be involved in a potential Kuminga sign-and-trade for the Warriors to bring back.
The Kings and Pelicans are interesting. Since the start of free agency, Sacramento has made it known that Kuminga is a target of theirs, and the Kings' new front office has been creating options to have a pathway to the Warriors' forward. That is why Malik Monk is on the trade block and the team is actively wanting to trade him, sources said.
Even so, there isn't significant momentum between the Warriors and Kings at this time. More on Sacramento shortly.
New Orleans is very much worth talking about regarding Kuminga, as Joe Dumars and the Pelicans' front office have been very active this offseason. Aside from moving Kelly Olynyk and CJ McCollum to the Washington Wizards for Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey, the Pelicans also signed Kevon Looney to a two-year contract.
The Pelicans could certainly use another dynamic forward next to Zion Williamson, and Kuminga's age puts him right on the timeline that this organization has created. However, New Orleans doesn't have the money to pursue Kuminga right now, as they are about $4 million below the luxury tax line, and it's hard to imagine they would want to be a tax-paying team during the 2025-26 season.
In order to pursue Kuminga, who the Pelicans have interest in, money would need to be cleared. Interestingly enough, there have been whispers throughout league circles about the Pels talking with some teams about taking on a big contract. It is realistic to believe that said player is Dejounte Murray, who is recovering from an Achilles tear.
Murray is on the books for $30.8 million entering the new year and is under contract through the 2027-28 season, where he owns a player option. That would be a tough contract to move, but the Pelicans just drafted Jeremiah Fears, they still have Jose Alvarado, and now Poole is in the backcourt.
Why would New Orleans potentially be exploring ways to move Murray unless they were gearing up to make a big roster addition? This is where talk of the Pelicans being linked to Kuminga lies right now, as there haven't been any indications that New Orleans is actively looking to trade either Trey Murphy III or Herb Jones — two players who would have a ton of suitors on the open market.
The Warriors would be highly interested in either player if there was a path to pursue them in a potential Kuminga sign-and-trade, sources said.
So, when should we expect an answer on Kuminga's future?
Dunleavy and Golden State's front office would like to find a solution to what has become a grand mess, but it doesn't look like this will occur before NBA Summer League. The best path for both parties would be agreeing on a new, long-term contract that brings Kuminga back for the 2025-26 season, opening the door for a potential deal before February's trade deadline.
After all, the Warriors continue to hold onto their assets and not make rash decisions because of the growing uncertainty of superstar targets around the league. Giannis Antetokounmpo has long been linked to Golden State, and the team is continuing to monitor his situation with Milwaukee closely, sources said.
If, by some chance, Giannis requests out, the Warriors will put themselves very much in those trade conversations.
There isn't expected to be a clear answer on Antetokounmpo's future with the Bucks until later in the summer, well after the free agency period and trade market have died down. In order to pursue Giannis, the Warriors would need a young talent like Kuminga on a decent contract to utilize as a bargaining chip.
The same line of thinking relates to LeBron James and his uncertain future. Warriors owner Joe Lacob has long dreamed of bringing James to San Francisco, and they seriously pursued him before the 2024 NBA trade deadline, sources said. The Los Angeles Lakers were willing to talk only if LeBron and his agent, Rich Paul, were open to negotiations. They were not, and so those talks never materialized into anything.
Now, with Paul's cryptic statement about LeBron's future in Los Angeles, a lot of noise has been made about James possibly hitting the trade market sooner rather than later. Who knows at this point what the league's all-time leading scorer really wants?
Giannis and LeBron are simply dreams, and Kuminga's immediate future is the Warriors' reality. The organization will need to make a decision soon, especially with free agency dragging on and the Dubs needing to address key parts of their roster.
Outside of Kuminga, the Warriors have been actively engaged in significant talks with 39-year-old big man Al Horford, league sources said. Horford is nearing the end of the line in his career and appears as if he will be moving on from the Boston Celtics… that is, unless he retires.
The Warriors are viewed as the frontrunners for Horford around the league. Still, the Lakers are in the mix, and the idea of retiring is still on the table for the veteran. He would be an immediate upgrade in the frontcourt next to Draymond Green as a stretch big man with championship experience.
Another holdup with Horford could revolve around how much money Golden State is offering him. The Warriors have access to the $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception, but they will be hard-capped at the second apron if they were to use it on a player like Horford or someone else.
That would complicate things with Kuminga, as having their hands tied with the second apron could allow another team to sign Kuminga to an offer sheet, leaving the Dubs without the ability to match since they would eventually exceed the second apron.
If they lose out on Horford, other free agent big men brought up in conversations surrounding the Warriors are Chris Boucher and Trey Lyles.
Elsewhere, Damian Lillard has suddenly become a hot topic of discussion around the league. The Bucks caught everyone off guard when they waived Lillard in the wake of his Achilles injury, and they will be paying him his full $122 million extension over the next five years. Essentially, Lillard hits the open market as a player who can sign a veteran's minimum since he is getting paid by the Bucks.
Many teams, including the Warriors, have reached out to Lillard's camp. Dame isn't expected to rush a decision given the amount of interest in him around the league, but his ties to the Dubs and Oakland can't be ignored. Lillard was thrilled to be in San Francisco for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game this past year, given that he's from Oakland, and he's always held close relationships with Curry, Green, and Butler.
After all, Lillard wanted to go to South Beach in 2023 to play alongside Butler on the Miami Heat. He never wanted to be traded to the Bucks, and the only reason he handled it like a professional is not only because of who he is as a person but also due to the opportunity of playing alongside Giannis. Those two superstars formed a strong bond on and off the court with one another.
Veterans like Horford and Lillard are certainly worth discussing for the Warriors this offseason. However, all roads lead back to Kuminga and a decision the Dubs need to make. Do not expect a quick, swift resolution to all of this, as there is a very good chance this drags on and Kuminga remains with the Warriors.
Kings maintaining flexibility in Schroder, Kuminga pursuits
The Kings and new general manager Scott Perry have been busy this offseason. Perry made it clear when he assumed control of the front office that adding backcourt talent was essential, so Sacramento moved up into the first round of the draft to take Nique Clifford, a unique do-it-all swingman who can play some point guard and also move out on the wing.
In free agency, the Kings made a big splash on Tuesday when they reached an agreement with Dennis Schroder on a three-year, $45 million contract. When the free agency window opened, the Kings immediately secured a meeting with Schroder, who was the organization's top target as an unrestricted free agent.
Originally, there were discussions about Schroder making his way to Sacramento by way of a sign-and-trade, but those talks fell through. The belief around the league was that the Kings were going to sign Schroder using their full MLE.
Then on Wednesday night, the two sides reopened their sign-and-trade discussions, as Sacramento will be acquiring the veteran point guard using their $16.8 million traded player exception from when Kevin Huerter was sent to the Chicago Bulls in February. Now, the question becomes whether Monk, whom the Kings have been motivated to move, will be going to the Pistons in this Schroder sign-and-trade deal.
The Kings have now hard-capped themselves at the first apron, but they still have access to their full MLE to make additional moves. Russell Westbrook continues to be linked to Sacramento in free agency should the team move Monk, sources said.
Of course, more conversations about the Kings came to light on Wednesday night when Kuminga's name was being linked to them. It is no secret to anyone that Sacramento is eyeing Kuminga, yet their hard cap now makes it extremely difficult to pursue the Warriors' forward outside of a sign-and-trade.
The Warriors, who continue to explore all of the options presented to them, don't hold much desire to engage in serious discussions with the Kings for a couple of reasons. As a result of the Kings being a team the Dubs constantly see every year, there are some within the Dubs organization who don't want to give their in-division rivals an edge by gifting them the young 22-year-old with a lot of untapped potential.
At the same time, the Warriors are said to have a lot of interest in 2022 fourth-overall pick Keegan Murray and would open negotiations with the Kings should the 24-year-old be on the table, sources said. That doesn't seem to be a path for the Kings at this moment, as they would obviously much rather see players like Monk, Devin Carter, or newly acquired center Dario Saric walk out the door in a Kuminga deal.
Although many were starting to connect the dots between Schroder's sign-and-trade and rumors from Sacramento pinpointing Kuminga, there was never a moment when the three teams (Detroit, Sacramento, and Golden State) were discussing a real scenario on Wednesday. The Pistons still appear to have the option of adding Monk in the Schroder sign-and-trade talks.
Another possibility for Detroit in these talks with the Kings is not taking back any player at all to create a decent-sized TPE, which could be used before the 2026 NBA trade deadline to add a key talent on the market. The Pistons are said to be exploring a few trade avenues outside of their deal involving Schroder, sources said.
One name to keep an eye on is John Collins. The Utah Jazz have made Collins available this offseason, and he holds virtually no market. Detroit could possibly get him at a supreme discount, but doing so would bring them dangerously close to the first apron hard cap. The Pistons have operated with financial flexibility over the last year, and that is unlikely to change.
Even after adding Schroder, the Kings are still exploring ways to create flexibility and pursue Kuminga. Perry recognizes the position that Golden State is in with the young forward, which is why there is a path to the Kings getting a sign-and-trade done this offseason.
Then again, the Warriors won't be forced into making a deal that they don't want to make. If the value isn't there for Kuminga, they won't accept an offer, sources said. Whether or not Kuminga truly wants to be with the Dubs is the question at large and one that holds the keys to a decision being made.
There are advantages to having a young player with the athletic prowess and overall potential like Kuminga on a contract valued around $30 million. This is especially true when you evaluate where the Warriors are as a franchise and their constant pursuit of superstar talent on the trade market.
A lot of mystery continues to surround Kuminga's immediate future with the Warriors since they are not close to making a final decision.
Lakers' next move after Deandre Ayton addition
One of the biggest additions any team made this offseason came on Wednesday, as the Lakers officially agreed to a two-year, $16 million contract with Deandre Ayton. The 2018 first-overall pick was bought out of his contract with the Portland Trail Blazers and immediately became one of the marquee names available on the free-agent market.
Numerous teams made calls to Ayton and his camp, exploring initial interest and what the big man was looking for, both from a money perspective and in terms of a new role. The Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Warriors, and Lakers were among the notable teams that initially discussed pursuing Ayton when he was bought out, sources said.
Milwaukee dropped out of the Ayton race when they got Myles Turner, and the Warriors never fully pursued the former top pick, given their ongoing talks with Horford, sources said. Ultimately, Ayton chose LA, and he will immediately slide into their starting center role, where he will run countless pick-and-roll sets with Luka Doncic.
Coincidentally enough, Doncic and Ayton share the same agent.
After adding Ayton, the Lakers will continue to explore free agency and the trade market for further frontcourt depth, sources said. This has been a main point of emphasis for Rob Pelinka and the Lakers' front office since acquiring Doncic, as they want to find stability from their big guys on both ends of the floor.
As previously reported, Los Angeles has made several calls around the league when it comes to feeling out the trade market for centers. Nic Claxton and Walker Kessler have been the prominent names mentioned, yet those talks were said to be nothing more than exploratory with no momentum early in the offseason, sources told ClutchPoints.
Other names the Lakers expressed interest in were Phoenix Suns' Nick Richards, Portland Trail Blazers' Robert Williams III, and New Orleans Pelicans' Yves Missi, sources said. With their addition of Ayton, it's hard to envision any real path for Los Angeles to sacrifice a lot of assets only to have Missi on the bench behind Ayton.
The Suns have taken calls from a few teams interested in Richards this summer. Even though there is interest in him and the team has a lot of options at center, the Suns still value Richards and are not actively looking to move him to the highest bidder. Orlando Magic big men Wendell Carter Jr. and Goga Bitadze were also brought up in conversations with league circles about the Lakers' center pursuit.
Horford, as previously mentioned, is another name associated with Los Angeles, but the overall assumption around the league is that he will end up with Golden State.
Outside of pursuing extra frontcourt depth behind Ayton, the Lakers are also pursuing guard help to complement Luka's play in the backcourt. De'Anthony Melton has been a key name linked to Los Angeles throughout the offseason, and there is a growing expectation that the Lakers will land him in free agency, sources said.
External trade talks about adding a 3-and-D wing like Andrew Wiggins from the Miami Heat have not progressed since the idea was initially reported. While the Heat are open to moving Wiggins, they have maintained a high asking price from LA. It would take some sort of package revolving around Dalton Knecht and a first-round pick, according to Lakers insider Jovan Buha.
Rui Hachimura would likely be included in that framework as well, which is why the Lakers have been hesitant to pull off such a move for a player who has regressed since helping lead the Warriors to a title in 2022.
Another free agent that has seen his name linked to the Lakers is 40-year-old Chris Paul. However, LA fans shouldn't get their hopes up all that much, as Paul's free agency seems to be heading in the direction of either the Phoenix Suns or Los Angeles Clippers, sources said. The Milwaukee Bucks have also been named a suitor for the future Hall of Famer, but Paul would like to be closer to his family in Los Angeles.
Should we talk about the elephant in the room now?
Everyone wants to know about LeBron and what the next steps are after Rich Paul's passive-aggressive statement when James opted into his $52.6 million player option. When you thank an organization for their years of devotion and clearly claim that your client and the franchise are moving in different directions, that usually signals that a trade is coming.
But this is LeBron we are talking about. The Lakers aren't going to trade him out of the blue, and Klutch Sports has made it very clear that no trade request has been made. It really does appear as if James is monitoring what happens with the Lakers this offseason in a similar way to Giannis with the Bucks.
If he doesn't believe he can win in Los Angeles, especially now that he is playing second fiddle to Doncic, will James actually request a trade and be on the move midseason? Nobody knows. There will be a lot more rumors and a lot more clarity on the situation once NBA Summer League begins on July 10 in Las Vegas, when all 30 teams, agents, scouts, and league personnel will be in the same place at the same time.
Other trade notes and free agency intel from around the NBA
Cleveland Cavaliers: No major changes are coming to the Cleveland Cavaliers' roster as it pertains to Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen, sources said. Cleveland is confident that they have a championship-contending team, especially after adding Lonzo Ball to replace Ty Jerome in the backcourt. Ball will see a key role early in the season with Garland injured.
Los Angeles Clippers: Chris Paul and Malcolm Brogdon are the two free-agent point guards linked the most to the LA Clippers. If Paul doesn't choose to go to the Clippers and signs with the Suns instead, Brogdon has been pinpointed as a likely second option for Steve Ballmer's team. Brogdon has also been mentioned as a possible target for the Pacers, Bucks, and Denver Nuggets.
Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks continue to explore the trade market to get a sense of what type of return they could get for Kyle Kuzma. As of right now, it looks more likely that he will be on Milwaukee's roster to begin the 2025-26 season, sources said. Even so, the team continues to look for versatile 3-and-D wings who can play off Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner. After waiving Damian Lillard, the Bucks' next order of business is adding an experienced option next to Kevin Porter Jr. at the point guard position.
Orlando Magic: All indications suggest that the Orlando Magic and free agent big man Moritz Wagner will agree to a new contract, sources said. Orlando declined Wagner's $11 million team option after acquiring Desmond Bane to open up some cap flexibility, but he isn't expected to leave his brother, Franz, and the Magic this offseason. Mo Wagner is coming off a torn ACL he suffered during the first half of the 2024-25 season.
Phoenix Suns: Bradley Beal and the Phoenix Suns have started discussing possible buyout scenarios, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. If Beal follows in Lillard's footsteps and is bought out of his contract, he will be a coveted free agent, with teams wanting to sign him to a minimum contract. The Heat, Lakers, Clippers, Warriors, and Bucks would all have interest in a small contract for Beal.
