Jonathan Kuminga is the gift that keeps on giving for all those hoping to get a good chuckle at the expense of the Golden State Warriors this offseason. Seeing as the Warriors are division rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers can firmly be included among that bunch.
ESPN insiders Shams Charania and Anthony Slater teamed up to provide new updates involving the Kuminga situation for Golden State. The stalemate between the free agent forward and the team who has his restricted rights continues to see little movement.
The Warriors reportedly asked Kuminga whether he wanted to be in Golden State. To which, the young forward spun the question back at the franchise, asking whether they even wanted him in the Bay Area.
Charania and Slater wrote, "The Warriors have strengthened their effort. Late last week, [Mike] Dunleavy offered Kuminga a three-year, $75.2 million deal with a team option in the third season, sources told ESPN. That's $48.3 million guaranteed in the first two seasons."
Warriors’ string of missteps turning into full-blown crisis Lakers will enjoy
The Warriors, and many other teams in the NBA, are only a couple of weeks out from training camp at this point. Despite that, the Kuminga situation has haunted Golden State all offseason, leaving them as the only team who have yet to make any significant free agency moves.
Charania and Slater reported that the Warriors have turned down multiple sign-and-trade scenarios for Kuminga. That includes a package involving the Phoenix Suns, Royce O'Neale and second-round compensation. In all fairness, that is a touch mediocre.
However, the Warriors have also declined a sign-and-trade with the Sacramento Kings that would involve Malik Monk and a future first-round pick. That decisions is a lot more puzzling in its refusal.
There was even a point of the offseason where the connections between the Lakers and Warriors were starting to get made. Jake Fischer briefly questioned whether there was a pathway for LeBron James to exit from Los Angeles and relocate to Golden State.
The prospects of making that move for the Lakers are lackluster, given how poorly Kuminga slots in beside Luka Doncic and the hopes of pursuing a championship in the immediate future being properly reignited in Los Angeles. There is no real reason for Rob Pelinka to consider the deal.
Golden State continues to be stuck in the same holding pattern they have suffered through during the entire summer. With the new season rapidly approaching, the Lakers have to love seeing their rivals in such a dysfunctional state.