Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors
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Jonathan Kuminga reacts before the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Golden State Warriors’ efforts to sign veteran center Al Horford are directly tied to restricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga’s next contract.
According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater and Shams Charania, the Warriors are preparing to use their taxpayer midlevel exception on Horford, a move that would hard-cap the team at the NBA’s second apron. That cap constraint is why the Warriors have drawn a hard line at a $22.5 million starting salary for Kuminga, whether in their earlier two-year, $45 million offer or their more recent three-year, $75.2 million proposal, according to the ESPN report. Both deals include a player option on the final year.
“… the tentative plan hard caps them at the second apron and means $22.5 million is the most they could give Kuminga next season while holding 15 rostered players, a figure that has so far proven too low for Kuminga to accept in a multiyear deal attached to a team option,” Slater and Charania reported Monday.
Kuminga has until Oct. 1 to decide whether to sign his $7.9 million qualifying offer or take the Warriors’ extended offer. Training camp opens Sept. 29 for most teams.
Horford’s Role in Warriors’ Rotation
Steph Curry, Al Horford, Warriors
Getty Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors is guarded by Al Horford of the Boston Celtics.
The Warriors’ plan to give Horford an above-veteran-minimum contract was first reported by NBA insider Jake Fischer in August. At the time, Fischer noted the franchise was exploring different cap scenarios to secure the veteran’s services.
“Al Horford’s situation is a bit different because, depending on where the Warriors land in a cap tax situation, I believe he could make upwards of the full taxpayer mid-level ($5.7 million) exception,” Fischer said on Bleacher Report’s Insider’s Notebook. “There’s also discussion of a potential two-year deal with a player option, which would be beneficial for Horford, who was considering retirement following the Boston Celtics’ championship run in 2024.”
Horford is expected to slot in as the team’s starting center, easing the defensive and rebounding burden on Draymond Green while providing floor spacing on offense.
Filling a Void Left by Looney
Al Horford, Warriors
Getty Kevon Looney, formerly of the Golden State Warriors, battles with Al Horford and Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics for a rebound in Game Six of the 2022 NBA Finals.
Golden State views Horford as a steady presence after longtime big man Kevon Looney departed for the New Orleans Pelicans this summer. The Warriors’ frontcourt is now anchored by Horford, with younger players Trayce Jackson-Davis and Quinten Post rounding out the rotation.
“Horford would slide in as the presumed starting center, lessening the regular-season load on Draymond Green,” Slater reported in August. “His ability to pass, defend and shoot from the center spot fits well into the Warriors’ system.”
Last season, Horford averaged 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists while connecting on 36.3% of his 3-pointers. During Boston’s championship run the year before, he shot 41.9% from deep.
Balancing Age and Championship Aspirations
If Horford signs, the Warriors’ projected starting lineup will be among the oldest in the NBA, with Horford, Green, Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry all in their mid-to-late 30s. That stands in stark contrast to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who won the 2024-25 title as one of the league’s youngest championship squads in nearly 50 years.
Horford, 39, will not be asked to play heavy minutes on back-to-back nights — Golden State faces 15 such sets in 2025-26, tied for second-most in the league. Instead, the plan is to manage his workload while keeping him available for key matchups and postseason play.
Decision Time for Kuminga
The Warriors’ path forward hinges on Kuminga’s decision. Without clarity on his contract, Horford remains in a holding pattern.
“Those around the league continue to ticket Horford to the Warriors when free agency dust settles,” Slater reported. “The Kuminga situation continues to hold up business for them.”
For Golden State, the balance between youth and experience — and between flexibility and financial constraint — will define whether they can reload for another deep playoff run.