KUMINGA LATEST & WARRIORS LINKED TO VETERAN FREE AGENT AS IDEAL STEPHEN CURRY BACKUP!

KUMINGA LATEST & WARRIORS LINKED TO VETERAN FREE AGENT AS IDEAL STEPHEN CURRY BACKUP!

Coming up on this episode, the latest on Jonathan Kaminga’s free agency. Updates on Al Hor and DeAnthony Melton and a relatively new name to monitor from a Warrior perspective as the franchise has been linked to a veteran guard who might be an ideal backup for Stephen Curry. Welcome back to the Golden State with Mates podcast on a day where the LA Clippers made their reunion with Chris Paul official on a one-year $3.6 million contract, assuming this will be CP3’s 21st and final season in the league. So, good luck to him, but not too much good luck because obviously the Clippers are a Pacific rival of the Warriors and they’re continuing to have an excellent off season. Obviously, uh signing Brook Lopez, Bradley Beal, trading Norman Pal for uh for John Collins, they’ve done some fantastic stuff. And meanwhile, the Warriors, we are now over three weeks into free agency, and we continue to wait on them to do absolutely anything. Uh we do think that things will be happening here at some point and we get an idea of of what could happen but until these things actually take place the speculation will continue to grow. So what is the latest on the Warriors and their fancy plans? We’ve got the Jonathan Kaminga situation which clearly has to be the first domino to fall here uh before the Warriors can essentially do anything else. We’ve spoken about that and the Warriors needing to know their payroll situation, their roster situation and and what kind of flexibility they have before they can go out and make subsequent moves which we assume will happen here after the Kaminga thing eventually falls. When that happens, we still don’t really know. The latest on him, the Phoenix Suns obviously came in as a team last week that was that was linked to Kaminga. Uh but it’s since been reported that they don’t really have the uh the assets or the things that the Warriors would want in a sign and trade to really pull off a a sign and trade situation for Kaminga. So we can almost I think rule Phoenix out. I just don’t as I spoke about I think on last episode after those reports of Phoenix being interested, I just don’t think they have anything that the Warriors would necessarily want. Uh and of course that’s since been reported so we can almost rule the Suns out. Uh you’ve got the Kings obviously who at the start of Fency really emerged as a strong contender and a strong suitor for JK. Uh that seems to have died down. We haven’t really heard anything about that. They’ve gone and signed Doug McDermott to a one-year contract. Uh obviously the trade went through as well with Valenunis for Surich. And I I just don’t see anything forthcoming with the Kings at the moment either. Uh but we’ll wait and see on that one. I also think when it comes to the Suns and the Kings, I think the Warriors would much prefer to send Kaminga anywhere else than to a divisional rival in one of those two teams. Like if there’s a situation where Kaminga does leave the Warriors and he suddenly develops into a star, then it would hurt all the more worse if he’s actually playing you four times a season as part of another team in the in the Pacific division. So, uh, I think from that standpoint, the Warriors would probably prefer to trade JK to an Eastern Conference team. And if it is going to be a Western Conference team, then ideally not one in the Pacific. But, uh, I think the Chicago Bulls here have kind of reemerged as maybe the team to monitor if there is going to be a sign and trade happening here. Now, I think I’ve said for a while then, and I suppose things can change pretty drastically dayto-day, but I think I’ve said for a while now that I expect Kaminga to come back and that I probably prefer that to be the case based simply on the pretty underwhelming offers that the Warriors have already had and what they’re likely to get back if they do ultimately execute a sign and trade with JK. So, I think I still expect a resigning to happen here on a short-term contract. Of course, there’s still the I think the unlikely event that Kaminga takes the qualifying offer. That’s still a possibility, albeit I think unlikely because I think that’s a huge risk uh for him to take and one that he probably shouldn’t. But if there was to be a sign of trade take place, it might be the Bulls now that have kind of again reemerged as the team. Uh again, them being in the Eastern Conference would probably motivate the Warriors a little bit. And Jake Fischer reported uh late last week since I last spoke, I think that uh the sorry, not the Bulls, but Kaminga’s camp uh themselves had actually been trying to angle for a way to get Kaminga and Josh Giddy paid together as restricted free agents in Chicago, which would be quite something and I think remains pretty complicated and that’s the problem. And then you’ve got obviously the Warriors needing to agree to any kind of sign and trade scenario. Obviously Kobe White is someone that we have discussed pretty frequently uh as a potential target for the Warriors in a sign and tra in a Kaminga sign and trade to the Bulls. Uh he’s been kind of the player that a lot of us as Warrior fans have circled. Now, what I would say about that is Brett Seagull of Clutch Boys reported earlier today that the Bulls have shown no indication that they want to tra trade Kobe White whatsoever. And I also think the amount of veteran guards the Warriors have been linked to here in free agency would also suggest that one, the Bulls have indicated to them that they’re not getting their hands on White, whether it be a Kaminga trade or or otherwise, or two, that the Warriors don’t necessarily have any interest in Kobe White. And I could see as much as we’ve been talking about how White would be an ideal target for the Warriors given that he’s a 20 point per game scorer and he could be that third guy alongside Steph and Jimmy and also be a far cleaner fit compared to Kaminga given his shooting abilities. I do see why the Warriors might b at Kobe White and that is because of his looming contract extension. It’s the only reason why I think I think a lot of us as Warrior fans have thought of him as a potentially realistic target because how much does Chicago want to pay Kobe White and Josh Giddy as a starting back or going going forward beyond next season? Now White’s on an expiring 12.82.9 82.9 million deal, whatever it is, uh which does make him a realistic target in a Kaminga signing trade. But if you are going to do that from a Warrior perspective, you are essentially committing yourself to okay, we have to pay this guy uh on a new extension, which could be upwards of $25 million. And if you start paying Kobe White 25 plus and you got Steph and you got Jimmy, yes, like Steph and Jimmy and Draymond even for that matter have only got two years left on their deals, but I think the Warriors want to retain as much flexibility uh as they possibly can in the 2027 off season. So I can see a world in which the Warriors, even if the Bulls were willing to trade Kobe White for Jonathan Kaminga, where the Warriors would actually say, “No thanks.” like and I think you look at the alternatives that could be available in for free agency and they might say to themselves, hey, we can get one or two of these guys on minimum contracts who we don’t have to pay necessarily big bucks moving forward or at least they’re going to be cheaper than Kobe White is going to be and we can get them without giving up Kaminga and potentially bringing Kaminga back. So, uh I still think Seagull um brought up AO Dumu as a potential option for the Warriors. Again, I’m just not sure I wouldn’t have any interest in him if I was Golden State. If I was Chicago, I wouldn’t necessarily be too willing to give up draft assets. Uh because you’re not a great team necessarily. You should be going into rebuilding mode. I don’t think they’re at a point where they should be giving up draft capital. Uh maybe if they were to do that, the Warriors might have some interest, particularly if it gave them some salary relief and they weren’t actually taking back too much the other way. But then how does Chicago make that happen if they’re paying Kaminga and Giddy? Like this is why it’s just all so complicated. the Warriors. We’ve heard repeated reports now that the Warriors have no interest in Nicola Vuchic on a 21 and a half million dollar expiring contract. Obviously, after we saw the Marcus Smart move uh and and him getting a buyout with the Wizards and then signing with the Lakers, which is a notable move for them, I am kind of looking around at potential veteran guys on uh expiring contracts on rebuilding teams and whether they could finalize a buyout. And I do think at some point, maybe not in the off season, but maybe mid-season, there is a chance of a Vuch buyout situation if the Bulls really really can’t trade him. Uh, and therefore, I’m sure the Warriors might have interest then if he’s coming on a minimum contract compared to again trading for a $21.5 million guy and uh and giving up legitimate assets for him. Particularly like they’re just not going to give up Kaminga for Vuch. I’ve said that from the beginning of the offseason. Like you’re just not making that move whatsoever. for the potential and talent of Kaminga for a 35year-old. No thank you. So I still think in all of this again if there was a signing trade I’d probably put Chicago back at the top of the list in terms of uh where JK could go. But again it’s just so complicated by numerous factors. Um notably the fact that the Bulls have to still resolve the future of Josh Giddy who um that doesn’t seem like it’s going to be sorted anytime soon. So again, all points, you know, all signs to me point to Kaminga coming back to the Warriors. And I don’t know, I think it’s just frustrating that I I think all of us can kind of see that, hey, there’s not much value coming in for the Warriors. Like, Kaminga is not going to get a huge payday elsewhere. Can we just get a short-term contract sorted out and that’ll allow the Warriors to go and make their other moves? Like, it’s just frustrating that this is being dragged out. I understand it. I understand Kaminga wanting to get his money. I understand Kamingo having a preference to going to another team where he can really spread his wings and try and become the star that he wants to be. I get it. But the Warriors do have leverage in this situation. I get why they’re not just giving up Kaminga uh for nothing because I understand yes, he might not be a perfect fit at the Warriors, but he’s still an asset and the Warriors still want something for him. And if that’s not forthcoming, then I just don’t see what the other avenue here is aside from Kaminga coming back on a 2year maybe three-year contract, third year player option at, you know, around $20 million, maybe just over $20 million per year becomes, you know, try and showcase him at the end at the start of next season and hopefully it either works and he can actually become a long-term piece. um surprisingly as as uh rare as that might sound right now and as unusual as that might sound uh or he they obviously showcase him to become a a real trade candidate once eligible on January 15 and uh you’ve at least tried to preserve his value enough where you can go and make a deal for a player um that could really help you over the second half of the season. So uh we we’ll wait and see. I’m hoping every night I go to sleep here Australian time, I’m hoping to wake up the next morning uh to to something in regard to Kaminga, I’ve been literally wearing my Apple Watch every night for the last 3 weeks because I want to get notifications like buzzing on my wrist for potential moves that are made at like 1 2 3:00 a.m. in the morning my time. So, I’d prefer this all to be done and not to have to do that and try and get a full night’s sleep uh without being interrupted by notifications on my Apple Watch buzzing through my wrist. But uh this is just the reality of the situation unfortunately. Just some quick updates in terms of our H and DA Anthony Melton. Mark Stein uh again reiterated on Sunday US time in a piece from him on the Stein line uh that Hford and Melton will eventually land with the Warriors. It’s the same reports you’ve been hearing for the last couple of weeks now. Even further than that, if you’re talking about Horford, I mean, we’re literally over 3 weeks now into the Hawford stuff because that started to emerge in the hours leading up to the start of Frag. The Melton staff has now been going on for 10 days, two weeks. Uh I don’t know, you see these other moves being made. It just signifies further that hey, our Hin Anthony Melton will be coming to the Warriors at some point. uh when that is again will be dependent on the Kaminga situation. Just another name that I wanted to bring up here and this is kind of the main point of this episode. Uh another name that’s been linked to the Warriors uh in the last couple of days and it’s really interesting to me that this is seems to have come on the back of Damen Lillard choosing to go to the Portland Trailblazers and Bradley Beal choosing to to go to the LA Clippers because we know the Warriors had uh interest in both of those guys. uh and they’ve obviously chosen to go to other Western Conference rivals. The Warriors have started to be strongly linked, I would say, to Malcolm Brogden as an unrestricted free agent. So we heard uh Fischer again in his when he was talking about Kiminga’s future and stuff like that and and the bull stuff in the same uh piece that he did or the same YouTube live that he did. He spoke about uh Malcolm Brogden and him having uh interest across the league uh including from the Warriors. And then Seagull again wrote today and I quote another name worth mentioning that was connected to the dubs in Las Vegas is Malcolm Brogden. the former sixman of the year has held out in free agency to this point despite multiple shooters contacting him in recent weeks. So the initial thing to me is like some of these free agents who remain unsigned if you’ve got offers elsewhere, right? Why are you not taking them? And this is why I think like the Warriors again might have handshake agreements in place with more than just Hawford and Melton because if you’re Malcolm Brogton and you’ve you’ve got interest from the Kings and from multiple you know going back to the Bucks something you know whatever if you’re if you’ve got other offers on the table why aren’t you taking them? Because in reality the Warriors here it’s not like they have that much financial flexibility. Now, there’s a chance that, you know, Kaminga goes and they don’t get much back in return salary-wise and they can open up some different means. You know, they could potentially open up the full MLE and split that up a little bit. So, maybe you could get a little bit more from the Warriors and just the minimum. But, if Kaminga comes back, then all you’re going to get is the minimum, right? If the assuming that the the uh taxpayer mid-level goes to Hawford. So therefore, it’s not like I don’t think there’s a strong possibility that these guys are holding out hope that there’s a a bigger offer coming from the Warriors. To me, it would just be a case of maybe like they’ve got handshake agreements in place with the Warriors. And again, it’s a situation like Hford and Melton where we’re just waiting for the Kaminga domino to fall here. So again, maybe Brogden is part of that. Uh and again, that’s kind of been surging a little bit in the last few days. Now, in terms of Malcolm Brogden as a player, I actually like it. I think he would be an ideal backup for Stephen Curry. If, and it’s a big if, if he can get healthy, and I tell you what, if they bring in both Brogden and Dean Anthony Melton, then Rick CBrin is really going to have his work cut out. On top of the fact that you’re bringing in a near 40-year-old Hawford, you’re going to have Steph turning 38, Jimmy turning 36, Draymond’s 35. Like, this is a very old squad. In fact, really only the Clippers are kind of matching the Warriors in terms of an age profile here. So, that would be interesting having Melton and Brogden both come in having had two really injury impacted years, uh, both of them in a row. So Brogden’s played 63 games in the last two seasons. I think it’s 39 and then 24. Now some of that might may have been the fact that he’s played with Portland and Washington and those two teams. Uh you know, Portland going back to the previous season and then definitely Washington last season. We’re in a situation where it’s like if you’ve got any kind of injury, you don’t need to play. We’re more focused on playing the young guys anyway. So, I haven’t really dived too much into exactly uh how much I suppose those rebuilding teams have impacted how many games that Brogden’s played. Like if he was on a contending team, like if he was on the Warriors in one of the last two seasons, then maybe he might have played more. Uh I don’t know. But it’s c he’s certainly a guy that’s been deal it’s dealt with injury issues across the course of his career really. like he’s never been a fully healthy guy for for multiple years in a row necessarily, but at his best and again he’s only what is he 32 years old. He’s not old old by any means. So if he can be somewhere near his best again I do think he is an ideal backup to Steph because he’s a very for starters he’s a very good player. He’s a very good point guard. He’s holds career averages of 15.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 46.3% from the floor, 38.8% 8% from three-point range. He’s a very efficient player. Uh solid ball handler, playmaker and shooter. Generally a good scorer as well, which is exactly why I think after missing out on Beal and Dame, the Warriors might have shown interest in Brogden here over a guy like CP3. Like we know the CP3 experience and how that worked at the Warriors. And I thought CP3 was okay. Like he was fine, but it ended with a playing tournament loss to the Sacramento Kings. The team ultimately went nowhere. like we know what the Chris Paul experience was. I don’t think the Warriors were overly keen on getting back into that and and having a reunion with with Chris Paul. Uh and I think in Brogden you get more of a scoring punch rather than necessarily a playmaking punch which when the balls are going to when the ball is going to be in the hands of Steph and Jimmy predominantly like you’re going to need a little bit more uh scoring and in particular a little bit more offball shooting. And that’s why I think Malcolm Brogden could be excellent because you’ve got a guy who could not only handle the ball a bit uh when Steph’s off the floor and really run the offense alongside Jimmy I suppose, but you’ve also got a guy who could theoretically play alongside Steph in you know similar mold to a Melton really where he’s like a bit of a combo guard. Now I think you’d argue that uh Brogden is probably a little bit better of a creator and ball handler than Melton is. I think he’s probably primarily a point guard as Melton’s probably primarily a two guard. But they’re both combo guards of sorts which I think the Warriors like. They have guy they they want versatile guys. They want guys who can put the ball on the floor, who can play make a little bit, can shoot a little bit. And again, that’s why Chris Paul was fine for the Warriors, but he was never going to be we know who Chris Paul is. He was never going to be this huge offball threat. And Malcolm Broggin’s ability to be a catch and shoot threat again allows him to not only play behind Steph uh and and play when he’s off the floor, but also potentially alongside Steph. Like he’s 6’5. He’s not the defender that Melton is necessarily uh but he again he probably has a little bit more playmaking. Allows Steph to be off the ball if they’re on the court together. Uh and if you look at the the numbers in terms of Malcolm Brogden in the last three seasons, he’s got 37.1% 51.8% 8% and 44.4% on catch and shoot threes over the last three years. So again, it’s a big if, don’t get me wrong, but if he can be healthy, then that’s just another guard that you can kind of add to the mix. And I suppose from a Warrior standpoint, you’re saying, well, if we’re bringing Melton and Brogden on uh minimum contracts, then we really probably only need one of them to really work. And now, ideally, both of them work. But if we can ensure that at least one of them’s playing in every game, that’s a good result because you’ve already got Steph, Pods, uh, Buddy Heield, obviously, they’re kind of your three. Moses can play a little bit at the two, but the Warriors like they do need, I think, a backup to Steph. Like, he’s going to turn 38 in January, right? He they need some kind of reliable guard behind him. And like, what’s the alternative here? like resign Pat Spencer, have Taran Armstrong on a two-way contract, eat some of those minutes. Like I think Malcolm Brogden again is a far far better option than those guys. And so, you know, on the nights where Steph’s resting, like do we expect Steph to play 65 plus games next season? Ideally, he wouldn’t. Now, ideally, that would come more just through rest than any injury, obviously. But there’s going to be nights when Steph rests when Jimmy rest and the Warriors need some offensive creation and ball handling and Malcolm Brogden won six man of the year just two years ago. Then yes, he’s had a very two, sorry, a very injury interrupted two seasons since then, but that year he had with the Boston Celtics over 14 points a game. Uh again, he was like 44.8% from three-point range or something. Uh you know, four rebounds, four assists a game around there. uh you know very very elite backup player in this league and if you’re going to have a you know Steph Curry resting games and potentially missing time through injury like we’ve got to take that into account at his age he’s coming off the hamstring injury in in the uh in the playoffs which we don’t expect to to hamper him going into next season but you never know what can happen like you you do have to try and accommodate for some of this stuff when these guys get to these ages and if you’ve got Malcolm Brogden being able to fill in for Steph Curry. Now, no one’s going to replace Steph Curry, but that might be one of the best options available in the entire NBA. again if uh Malcolm Brogden can get to anywhere near the point that he was at just 2 years ago with the Boston Celtics. And it’s worth noting as well and it’s it’s a minor. It’s not really got anything to do with it, but it is it is an interesting tidbit nonetheless like Brogden and Hawford did play together on that same Celtics team in 2022 23. Like there is some familiarity there. Maybe that could help a little bit if those guys are playing a bit together. So that’s a that’s an an extra layer to all of this. But again, it’s a big if in terms of Malcolm Brogden getting healthy. But if he can and we know the Warriors have a history of this in terms of Celibbrini getting Otto Porter Jr. right in that 202122 season when basically the years before and after that he he couldn’t he was perpetually on the sidelines not playing and the Warriors got one good year out of Otto Porter and it resolved in a championship. Maybe they can do the same again with Malcolm Brockton. And then you’ve got another version of Melton who I think he’s more of a long-term play in terms of if he has a really good year then you would actually try and bring him back. And again for next season I think if you can get one of Melton or Brogden really up and going playing 65 70 plus games. Ideally, again, you get both, but it’s almost like having two swings. Two swings at the one play where it’s like, okay, we need another guard here. We’re going to add two guards who we think have got really high upside, which they do. Like Melton, we saw the fit with him. We know who he can be in the Warrior system, and we know what Malcolm Brogden was as the six-man of the year in the league just two years ago. So, this this could work out. This could be really, really good for the Warriors if they can get their hands on both Melton and Brogden. Again, the injury risks are significant, but we’re talking about minimum contracts. I think it’s high upside plays. And again, you just hope that one of at least one of them can be can be a really positive influence and play consistently for you entering next season. So, let me know what you guys think about Malcolm Brogden. I’m I’m all for it. I like it. Again, injury risk, sure, but it’s probably the kind of risk the Warriors have to take given they’re just, you know, the tier below, you know, the the real top tier teams in the Western Conference. So, uh, let me know what you think. Uh, I’ll finish it up there, guys. Uh, let me know if you’ve got any other thoughts on the Kaminga situation on any other, uh, potential free agents. Just to finish it up as well in terms of the Kobe White thing, I just don’t think the Warriors would have had interest in Dane Beal, uh, Melton obviously, and now like you’ve got this Malcolm Brogden situation. Would the Warriors really have like significant interest in Brogden if they thought there was a chance of getting Kobe White in a Kiminga trade? I just don’t think like they’re not going to get all three. They’re not going to say Melton White and Brogden. Now, they could go two of the three, but it seems more likely at this stage that that could be Melton and Brogden as opposed to Melton and Kobe White. So, uh just let me know what you guys think uh of anything that’s happening in France or potential Kaminga signing trades at the moment. If you haven’t subscribed to YouTube channel already, that would be greatly appreciated. Follow me at Pock2252. That’s PK252 and X/ Twitter. As always, I’ll be back whenever the Warriors make a move here or there’s any uh big speculation surrounding what they could do. Thanks again, guys.

Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency continues to be a stalled process for the Golden State Warriors, but exactly which rival team is most likely to pull off a sign-and-trade if the young forward doesn’t return to the franchise?

Plus, the latest on Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton and a new name to monitor for the Warriors who’ve been linked to a veteran guard who could become an ideal backup to Stephen Curry!