Steph Curry, Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors
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Jonathan Kuminga watches Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors do his "Night Night" celebration.
Amid their staring contest with their restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, the Golden State Warriors have also been looking at another team’s restricted free agent.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Warriors have “expressed” interest in the Chicago Bulls‘ restricted free agent Josh Giddey.
“Golden State would be interested, depending on how the machinations could go in some type of Josh Giddey-Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade,” Fischer reported on Bleacher Report’s “NBA Insider Notebook” livestreamed on Aug. 7.
Fischer added that the Warriors’ interest in Giddey dated back to the 2021 NBA draft.
“To my understanding, the Warriors were prepared on draft night way back in 2021 for Jonathan Kuminga to go no. 6 to Oklahoma City and they were ready to take Josh Giddey at no. 7,” Fischer said.
But the Thunder picked Giddey and the Warriors ended up with Kuminga, who never found his footing in Steve Kerr’s system.
Josh Giddey is a Better Fit Than Jonathan Kuminga
The pass-first Giddey would have a better chance of thriving under Kerr.
Giddey, whom the Bulls landed in a one-on-one trade for Alex Caruso, a former Warriors’ trade target, flourished last season in Chicago.
The Australian point guard averaged a career-high 7.2 assists to go with 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals. He also shot a career-best 37.8% from the 3-point line, which has been his weakest link since he entered the NBA and factored in the Thunder’s decision to trade him.
Giddey’s breakout season made the Warriors more interested in the 6-foot-8 point guard.
“I can report that there have been multiple teams that have reached out to Josh Giddey’s representation about their interest. Golden State is one of them,” Fischer said.
Like Kuminga and the Warriors, Giddey is also having a staring down contest with the Bulls.
Giddey has been looking for $30 million in annual salary, according to Fischer, but the Bulls have only discussed an offer with $20 million per year.
However, Fischer also noted that the Bulls have been telling league personnel since the NBA Draft Combine in June that they love Giddey and want to bring him back.
Warriors in ‘Lose-Lose’ Situation With Jonathan Kuminga
There appears to be no end in sight for the Warriors-Kuminga standoff.
Both camps have been posturing, with the Warriors sending an ultimatum: accept the two-year, $45 million offer or the $7.9 million qualifying offer. While Kuminga is threatening to accept the qualifying offer, which will be the worst-case scenario for the Warriors, according to ESPN’s front office insider Bobby Marks.
“It’s probably more of a lose-lose for Golden State. I’m not saying Golden State should panic and suddenly offer three for $80 million,” Marks said over the weekend. “How I look at it for Golden State is that Jonathan Kuminga is now on a one-year $8 million deal.”
Kuminga can stick it to the Warriors, who will be having a tougher time getting value in return, while he can become an unrestricted free agent after next season.
“Trading Jonathan Kuminga at a $22 million salary is a lot easier than trading Jonathan Kuminga at an $8 million salary, if you want to go hunting for a big name,” Marks explained. “What if an All-NBA player becomes available? You do not have the contracts unless you’re trading and Draymond Green or Jimmy Butler. You would have Kuminga at $8 million, [Moses] Moody at $11 million, Buddy [Hield] at $8 or 9 million.
“You don’t have the numbers to stack, which is why getting Kuminga on a two-year deal for $45 million is a perfect solution for Golden State, but it takes two to tango, and requires Kuminga to sign at that number.”