The Warriors & Jonathan Kuminga are ‘NOT A GOOD FIT!’ – Udonis Haslem | NBA Today

The Warriors & Jonathan Kuminga are ‘NOT A GOOD FIT!’ – Udonis Haslem | NBA Today

[Music] So, when I asked Brian for a word to describe this free agency, he said expensive. I’ll say so. Look at this. Over two billion dollars has been agreed to since free agency opened about 26 hours ago. And one of the most active teams has been the Milwaukee Bucks. Brian, how would you grade their free agency so far?
I got a new word. It’s buyout. Because this buyout for Dame Lillard took the entire league by surprise.
Certainly took the Indiana Pacers by surprise. It’s given the Bucks an entire new outlook on their off seasonason. They’ve been able to resign a majority of their free agents, their key players that they’ve had to be supporting players. The one guy that they’ve lost has been Brook Lopez who they’ve replaced with an excellent option in Miles Turner, an upgrade at that position, and they still have uh some money left to do maneuvering. And what they’re hoping for is an engaged John Tennako who very well could win his third MVP award next year. Are they a team that I would consider the favorite? No. Are they a contender? Yes. And let’s remember a team that was in the middle of the pack this last year in the Eastern Conference. They had depth and had great play at the top of their lineup, ended up in the finals. That’s what the Bucks are dreaming of right now.
Any team that has Giannis on it, you cannot count out. But the same could be said for a couple of other select stars in the league, including someone like, I don’t know, Nicola Joic. So, let’s go from the 2021 champs, the 2023 champions, the Denver Nuggets. They made the splash first. They traded away Michael Porter Jr. to ca for Cam Johnson. You can see their numbers compared here. But Tim Leggler on the floor. How is this going to look?
Here’s how it fits and here’s how it helps Denver and this is why I think it was an upgrade. Talk about first of all some of the action you’re going to see right here. And Malik, let me ask you a question. Do you know any other teams in the Western Conference that like to run a two-man game? A couple. What about maybe the Denver and maybe the Denver Nuggets? Right. So this is that action right here. You’re going to turn the corner. You’re going to get a dive. What I want you to focus on is here. This is Cam Johnson in weak side of the floor. He’s got great instincts for this and he is a very good off the movement shooter. As you see the defense right here collapse on the paint. Watch Cam Johnson circle back behind the basketball to create that space. Very good off the move. And then watch this little pump fake. Freezes him sideep. Knocks it down. Does that at a high level perfect release. He also does this. You can run pin downs for him at a higher level than what you could Michael Porter. And you’re going to see right here, couple of screens are going to be set. Now, this is going to be a read. You got a double screen coming off the corner. They’re going to read their teammate in the corner and see what he wants to do. As you see right here, when this cut is made along the baseline, that tells now Cam Johnson, he is going to circle back off this down screen. And watch how quickly he gets to the three-point line. Even against an all league defender like Lou Dort, he doesn’t need much time. It’s a great read. Watch how quick those feet get together. how quickly that ball is out of his hands off the down screen. Now, how does it fit with Nicolo Joic? He’s also an excellent weak side cutter. How does that play in? Well, pretty much anytime Joic has the ball in the post. He is surveying everything on the weak side of the floor. As you can see right here, he’s looking at all these eyes on the weak side and he’s also looking at his teammate. Any sort of weak side cut, Nicola Joic is going to find you. Cam Johnson is a very good weak side cutter when there’s space. said it yesterday. I’m going to say it again. Cam Johnson is about to get the highest quality of shot he’s ever gotten in his career because he’s playing with Nickelo.
He’s pulling a Beyonce. You’re going to get an upgrade you type of situation. Thank you for painting that picture for us here, Legs. Really appreciate it. As we take a look here at the still available free agents, some notable free agent names that are still available here on the market. Of course, DeAndre Aton at the top of this list as we’re keeping monitoring that. But as we also look at some restricted free agents here, Jonathan Kaminga, Quinton Grimes come to mind. So now let’s welcome in our reporter who spent a whole lot of time covering the Golden State Warriors last season. I mentioned Jonathan Gaminga here. What is the the plan for him for the Golden State Warriors?
Malikica, it almost feels like we’re in a little bit of a holding pattern because we have to wait and see what kind of market Jonathan Kamika can get outside of Golden State. Can he find another team that will want him and then pay him and then also perhaps work out a sign and trade with Golden State or does he want to remain in Golden State? Does he want to take the qualifying offer and then maybe become a free agent next season and bet on himself? Those are all things we’re going to see. Now, look, the Warriors GM Mike Dunle Jr. has said hopefully we get this done sooner than later, but it looks like they’re wait all league sources around the league combo are telling me they still hear Al Horford’s name with the Warriors. They can do that before Kaminga. But as far as filling out the rest of the roster and what else Golden State can do, they’re going to have to probably wait and see what Jonathan Kaminga does.
All right. What should Kaminga want here?
He should want to go be his best version. And I don’t think that’s going to happen in Golden State. And it’s nothing against Golden State. It’s nothing against Kaminga. It’s just not a good fit. And especially when you bring in a guy like Jimmy Butler. Jimmy Butler is a a damn good basketball player. He needs the ball in his hands. He’s going to make other guys better. He’s going to defend on the other end. His basketball IQ is out of the roof. And I think that’s where he gets the edge with Kaminga where you put him in the game and you put him with Steph. You put him with those other guys and you don’t miss a beat. You put Kaminga in and it’s a little bit of a it’s a little bit of a standstill offensively. He gets the ball in his hands. He wants to do his thing. So Jonath Jonathan Kaminga should look for a situation or opportunity to be his best version. It is his time and he should not feel bad about that at all. Often times we make guys feel bad about wanting to step into that light and be their best version. I don’t think he should feel bad about this. He’s played the game. He’s been in Golden State long enough. This is a guy who’s 15 points per game, 45% from the field. He’s a damn good basketball player. It’s his time to shine and he wants his opportunity and I don’t blame him.
What I’m hearing from different people is like where is he getting his money from? Um what is he proving? We’ve seen splashes.
Yeah, we saw it in when Steph went out in the playoffs last year
and but not something consistent. Uh, one GM said I think he needs to worry more about the fit than the money right now and take care of the money later with his play. So, what I I’m hearing the Warriors are still optimistic that they’re going to resign him, but if they resign him, maybe that’s for a signing trade. Uh, another thing I’m hearing of the many teams that reached out to Damian Lillard,
uh, the Warriors were one of those teams. This is this is a guy that grew up
going to games at Oracle Arena. Uh sneaking in the media room, getting sodas, grew up a Warriors fan. That’s interesting. I know Kaminga’s big, but you know, hearing that the Warriors do have interest in Dame. Uh that’s I know that’s very interesting Bay Area people.
Well, it wouldn’t necessarily be an either or, although that is interesting, Spears. Um, if this isn’t the worst market for restricted free agents in the last generation, I don’t want to see it. There’s just no money out there for cap space and sign and trades are very tough to pull out. I know that they happen routinely. We just saw one with Duncan Robinson, as a matter of fact, but they’re very hard with restricted free agents because the team that has the rights isn’t motivated to play ball. And so, Kaminga is in a tough spot. Josh Giddy is in a tough spot. Quinton Grimes is in a tough spot. In these situations, what you tend to get is stalemates. And so what ends up might end up happening is the best thing for the Warriors is to retain Jonathan Kuminga to use him as an asset later on in trade. The best thing for Jonathan Kuminga might be to do to do something similar even if these two sides probably are primed for a breakup.
Okay, so play this out for me, Lex.
Yeah, listen. I think personally at this point I think that the Warriors need Jonathan Kaminga more than he needs them. And here’s what I mean by that.
Where are the athletes on this team?
He does represent an athletic wing. the guy does have something from a skill standpoint and just a physical standpoint they don’t have on their roster. I understand he’s got warts. I know that they wish he was a little bit more locked in like defensively with his concentration. They wish that he was more consistent with his rebounding effort. I get all of that. The guy has played almost 6,000 minutes for the Golden State Warriors and he’s still auditioning. I think at some point you’ve got to come to the realization it’s not going to happen for him in Golden State where he’s going to break through. And guess what? It might not happen somewhere else either. But I think go Jonathan Kaminga to find out. I think he needs to go somewhere where he doesn’t have such cynicism looking at him all the time waiting for the bad habits to crop themselves so he can go back to the bench. That’s what I mean by that. They need him. They need the physical specimen that he is. He needs a fresh start somewhere else to see what this guy can actually become in this league.
And that’s so well put when you’re constantly saying, you know, this is who I am. This is who I am. This is who I am. If people don’t want to believe you, then that at some point ends up on the team. Can we just Real quick, Damen Lillard potentially getting calls for him from the Golden State Warriors. You should Does that address a need?
As he should. You talking to a hometown kid that took multiple pay cuts just to stay at the crib as he should. Is he has the opportunity to play at home? That’s a lifelong dream for a lot of people. And at his point in his career, you want to have an opportunity to win a championship. You get a chance to play against Steph. I don’t know if you win it, but you you got a damn good opportunity when you play against Steph. I ain’t never betting against the chef over there. If he has the opportunity to start over and go play with chef,
do two of the best.
At least take a look at all the time.
At least take a look at it. Greatest range of any backcourt in history. I can tell you that they would put on a show.
There going to be a lot of switching on pick and roll. I don’t want to be the one called up. You got call me up. You go.
Not me. But you did say there were a dozen or so teams who were making these calls about Dam.
Yep. Uh but that has to
But that’s interesting to think about.
I mean, you know, but but
that’s home. I have I have one point and to piggy back off you said it makes all the world to a basketball player when you feel wanted. I know we big, we got tattoos, we athletic, we sensitive, you want to feel wanted in the locker room and by the coaches and by that organization and once you don’t feel wanted as a basketball player, it’s hard to go back. It’s hard to go back mentally as much as you might want to. It is hard to go back mentally when you don’t feel wanted somewhere.
His fan his his cousins are still Warriors fans.
Oh yeah. When you when you’re from Oklahoma, that’s how it is. your cousin going to be worse as our former NBA players over here. Just so you guys know, you’re always wanted here. Really truly still to come. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause]

On NBA Today, Ohm Youngmisuk joins to discuss the latest on restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors. Then, Tim Legler, Brian Windhorst, Marc J. Spears and Udonis Haslem give their take on the current situation.

☑️ Subscribe to ESPN+: https://plus.espn.com/
📱 Get the ESPN App: http://www.espn.com/espn/apps/espn
🏀 Subscribe to NBA on ESPN on YouTube: http://bit.ly/2yxs3Og
☑️ Subscribe to ESPN on YouTube: http://es.pn/SUBSCRIBEtoYOUTUBE
☑️ Watch ESPN on YouTube TV: http://es.pn/YouTubeTV

#ESPN #NBA