The 2025 offseason has been particularly challenging for restricted free agents. At the current juncture, only the futures of Jonathan Kuminga and Quentin Grimes remain unresolved. Given the possible outcomes available, Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer outlined the most likely scenario for the two players moving forward on "Insider Notebook" recently.
Fischer acknowledged that Josh Giddey's four-year, $100 million deal would have an impact on contract negotiations involving Kuminga. He said:
"I can definitely tell you that Jonathan Kuminga is looking at Josh Giddey's four-year, $100 million and saying, 'Golden State's two-year, $45 million offer with a team option in the second year... that's still not very attractive to me. Why should I be taking this when Josh Giddey is getting four and 100 straight, no team option?'"
"So that's clearly an absolute, not a benchmark, but a piece of context that is going to be relevant to Jonathan Kuminga's situation."
It is worth noting that Giddey was initially presented with a four-year, $88 million deal by the Bulls. After negotiation, the two parties seem to have found an agreeable middle ground. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors have been quite adamant in their reported two-year deal worth over $40 million, something that is far short of Kuminga's expectations.
While Kuminga received an unfavorable offer from his team, there have been virtually no reports indicating an offer being presented to Grimes as of yet. Although the Philadelphia 76ers do seem keen to retain him, no notable developments on this front have been reported.
On this note, Fischer presented a probable scenario that the two remaining free agents may end up considering. While addressing the lack of updates on the situations with the remaining restricted free agents, he said:
"I still believe both Kuminga and Grimes have plausible outcomes of accepting the qualifying offer. We'll see what happens over the next two weeks or so."
Fischer noted the possibility of Giddey's deal impacting the future course of action for both players, but the qualifying offer, like Cam Thomas' deal with the Brooklyn Nets, appears to be a more likely outcome at this stage.
Kuminga's interest in signing the qualifying offer has been supported by reports. In an effort to avoid picking up a contract with a team option, the 22-year-old is far more likely to sign a one-year deal that will guarantee an exit next summer.
Meanwhile, Grimes' situation is primarily dependent on how Philadelphia plans to approach the season. Given the guard depth in the 76ers' rotation, he is unlikely to play a significant role.
The 76ers could look into a sign-and-trade situation with Grimes, considering the trade interest he has garnered this offseason.
The Warriors could also look to do the same, as teams like the Sacramento Kings and the Phoenix Suns emerged as potential suitors. But considering the wishes of the Warriors' top brass to retain the young forward, this outcome seems less likely.
Regardless, the timeline for action has been set for a little over two weeks. With Oct. 1 being the deadline for signing qualifying offers, both players are likely to solidify their future in the league before then.
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