WARRIORS UPDATE: KUMINGA’S LEVERAGE MOVE, CURRY SPEAKS TRUTH, SCHEDULE DROP, WHO’S JOINING NEXT?

WARRIORS UPDATE: KUMINGA’S LEVERAGE MOVE, CURRY SPEAKS TRUTH, SCHEDULE DROP, WHO’S JOINING NEXT?

mean plenty of moves in free agency with plenty of players getting paid, but there are still some notable players available. Several restricted free agents are still waiting to get a deal done, including the Warriors Jonathan Kaminga. We have talked and heard a lot about this for more on Kaminga. Our Warriors reporter Anthony Slater joins us now on NBA Today. Anthony, where do these negotiations stand now that we are halfway through August? Well, there’s been renewed conversations between the two sides. there’s dialogue, but as you all know, talking doesn’t necessarily equal movement. You know, they’ve shared contract concepts and uh opinions about the whole thing, you know, between each other this last week, dating back to to last weekend. But, um, you know, Kaminga wants more of a player friendly deal, more of a signal of that that he’s a building block, not just a trade asset. The word I’ve heard from from the Kaminga side is pawn. he doesn’t want to sign this 2-year $45 million deal with a team option where he is clearly just being used to be traded mid-season. Uh that’s not something he wants to sign up for. Now, if you’re talking about a three-year deal, if you’re talking about something with the player option that that shows him a little bit more commitment, that’s something he’d be interested in. Uh but as of now, the Warriors have been hesitant to do that. And because of of that, uh Kamiga is signaling to those around him that he’s very willing and and prefers the qualifying offer over the 2-year $45 million deal. And that’s dangerous for the Warriors. they can try to call his bluff, but right now uh it seems to be trending towards the qualifying offer. Well, it’s not just that this situation is happening with Kaminga, it’s that it’s halting any other other offseason moves uh that the Warriors could make. So, what’s their plan to fill out the rest of that roster? Yeah, I mean, it’s the same name we’ve all been talking about for what, six weeks now, seven weeks. Uh you know, Al Horford, you know, he’s clearly ticketed to to be their starting center if that gets wrapped up. The Anthony Melton uh is a name that they like. Seth Curry, uh, their second round pick, Will Richard, is a guy I expected to to potentially be on their roster. Gary Payton the second. But again, as you mentioned, they are are all waiting for Kaminga, but from my understanding, from what I’ve heard, you know, they’re aware of the situation. They’re aware of the complexities and they’re comfortable in this holding pattern because training camp is still a while away. But I will say August is a lot easier for people to just be like, “Okay, we we’ll get to you when we get you.” September is where it starts to get a little bit more uncomfortable in this entire situation. And that’s where I don’t know if there’ll be movement or or a little bit more angst on the Warriors or Kaminga side, but but September uh is where this could get get a little bit, you know, diceier. So, here’s the basic question. What do you think happens next? Yeah. again, you know, unless the Warriors are willing to up their offer or reopen sign and trade conversations, which they’ve shut down to this point, uh I, you know, people can, you know, question whether Jonathan Kamiga will willingly not take $14 million more, you know, and take the 2-year $45 million deal. But you talk to people around him and he’s pretty dug in like if this is going to be the best offer, if two for 45 with the team options going to be the best offer, he will see them in training camp on a $7.9 million expiring qualifying offer which includes a no trade class because he wants either to, you know, to be viewed as more of a building block or he wants his freedom, you know, his control of his future and the qualifying offer while less money gives him control of his future. Yeah, somebody’s going to have to give. Thank you so much, Anthony, for the information. and I’m sure we’ll be seeing you again here soon. The Warriors have had a tough stretch to start the season as they are on the road for 12 of their first 18 games. That’s the most road games in the NBA for the first month of the season. But that didn’t stop Steph when asked if they can win a championship. Here he is with ABC’s Larry Beal. Can three guys over the age of 35 really contend for a championship? We’re going to find out. I think we can. There’s a a level of knowhow. I think what we did last year, those last third of the season after the trade deadline where we were top three in the league, both offense, defense, all the all the metrics that show we were a really good team. Obviously, we have to stay healthy, get through the, you know, regular season at a high level. But I like the identity that we have and the foundation of knowing how to play together, you know, towards the end of last season that we can hopefully translate to this year. So, I know we’re going to get that question asked a lot because the age and this is something that hasn’t you haven’t really seen before, but um that’s the the beautiful challenge of this game. So, the lack of moves don’t seem to bother Steph. He seems incredibly confident in the Warriors ability to win yet another championship. Mark, is this situation something? Is it nothing? Is it everything considering the fact that the Warriors have nine nine players on their roster right now? I’m going to say everything and and and maybe I’m too close to it because I live in the Bay Area and I can’t go anywhere there without somebody asking me about JK and and what’s going to happen. I mean, you got several people just waiting to to get their deal done. Several people waiting to get settled, waiting on JK. I’m hearing Dun Levy’s talking to his agent on a regular basis. And you know, somebody’s going to blink. And ultimately, I I feel like the Warriors going to have to blink to get it done. doesn’t make sense to sign him to a 7.9 one-year deal because you need the asset and I think JK and his people know that. Um, but also JK’s made $24 million in his career so far. It’s a lot of money to turn down. I, you know, there’s a line in uh, you know, the movie Boomerang where you say, “Take the money, fool.” I think ultimately he’s going to have to take the money. Not calling him a fool, but take the money and like Paul George, you figure out the rest later. But if somebody trades for him, they trade for him because they want him. Yeah. And that hasn’t happened yet. I mean, like they they’ve had great offers for Kaminga over the years. I mean, they could have had Alex Caruso on their team a couple years ago if they would have been willing to part with Jonathan Kaminga. That and and I I the thing that’s hard for me I I think is nothing because I think he’s going to be on the Warriors and the only question is how much are they paying him? I think there’s an easy solution here which is that the Warriors give him an extra year. uh it’ll be like a two plus one where they he has a little more control over his grits, a little more guaranteed money. And I do think the Warriors see him as somebody who’s if if he wants to call it a building block, I don’t know if I would call it that, but somebody they want around for a long time because they have 35 year olds on their team and I know the owner Joe Leo has told him this. He they he loves Jonathan coming in. He’s the reason that they have never included him in trades because they see the potential in him. But the question is not whether he’s going to be back, but what kind of attitude is he going to have? If it is he’s been spurned and he’s got a bad attitude, he’s going to sit on the bench. That’s not going to help them. But they they didn’t really use him that much once they traded for Jimmy Butler. It was sort of Jimmy or Kaminga and they went 23 and seven when they traded for Jimmy towards the end of the year. So I I think Steph’s right. I think they can contend. So Ramona, you say it’s nothing. Mark says everything. Yonis Hasslam, you say it’s I’m not going to overreact, but I think it’s a little something. But I’m gonna say this right now. I’ve been in this league a long time. And if you have Jimmy Butler’s heart, you have the IQ of a Draymond Green, and you have the greatness of Steph Curry, and also the experience of Steve Curry, then you got a chance on any given night against any team in this league. But what you don’t have is the youth and athleticism that Jonathan Kaminga possesses. So, they need a guy like that. If it is not Jonathan and Kaminga, then another guy that can be a Swiss Army knife that can guard multiple positions and that can get up and down the floor and go vertical from time to time. They need a guy like that. So, if it’s not Kaminga, then they need another guy like that. But, I’m inclined to say like try to make this situation work. But, I’m looking around. I’m looking at the Chicago Bulls and I’m looking at the Golden State Warriors and I’m saying Josh Giddy look like a guy that could fit great over in Golden State and Jonathan Kiga looks like a guy that possibly could fit good in Chicago. I remember reading an article just a little while ago where Josh Giddy’s father said that there was interest from Golden State in Kaminga, but OKC took him at six and they said that Golden State would take him at seven. So, I’m I’m just saying this might be a solution. I’m no GM. This might be above my pay grade, guys, but this might be a solution to some people problems. You’re in the front office, Ramona. Look, I think Josh Giddy’s looking for a deal that’s more like $30 million a year and the Bulls are around 20. I do think that you make a very good point, you do, that he would fit the way the Warriors play. He’s a smart player. He moves the ball. He would fit really well into that offense and he’s tall and he gives them some size. You can you can play him as a defensive five if you want with Josh Kitty even though he’s a point guard. So, I I think he would fit very well there, but I don’t know if they’re going to meet his price point either because they they obviously are restricted in what they can pay him based on the other salaries they have for their vets. Well, whatever they do, it’s going to be on national television a lot. The Warriors have 34 national TV games. Not a big change from last year. Here’s a look at the biggest changes of national TV games compared to last year. The Pistons and Thunder are among the biggest risers and the Suns are the biggest faller. Ramona, which team will be your league pass squad for the season? The team that you’re like really excited to see? You’re setting your DVR to them. Listen, we have not talked enough about Victor Wimyama coming back and the San Antonio Spurs. They they have an amazing squad. Dub Nation, let’s talk because this Jonathan Kaminga situation is getting louder, tenser, and way more important than people are giving it credit for. If you love this team, you need to lock in right now. So, here’s the deal. Talks between the Warriors and Kuminga’s camp have picked up again, but it’s still far from a done deal. Both sides are throwing contract frameworks back and forth, but there’s no handshake, no celebration, and definitely no clarity. Why? Because this isn’t just about numbers. It’s about identity. Kaminga and his team are fed up with being treated like a piece on the trade chessboard. They’re using the word pawn. They feel like Golden State is trying to lock him in just to flip him at the deadline if the season goes south. And Kaminga is not signing up for that narrative. That’s why he’s reportedly rejecting a 2-year $45 million deal with a team option. A deal that gives Golden State flexibility, sure, but gives him no long-term security. It screams, “You might be gone by February.” Instead, Kaminga wants a three-year commitment or a deal with the player option, something that validates his place as a real part of the Warriors future, not just a plug-andplay asset. This is about trust. It’s about control. It’s about not being tossed in the next salary matching trade for a veteran wing. And here’s the part that has everyone on edge. If the Warriors won’t commit, Kuminga might just bet on himself. He’s seriously considering taking his $7.9 million qualifying offer for 202526, which would give him a no trade clause and set him up to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. That’s a bold move. It’s risky, sure, but it would give him total control over his next chapter. Analyst after analyst is calling it a surprise move because turning down guaranteed money in this league is no joke. But you know what? The man wants either to be viewed as a building block or to earn his freedom. He’s not here to play the middle. But what happens if he does that? Well, that would put serious pressure on the Warriors front office. A qualifying offer means no trades. It means zero leverage. And it sets up a scenario where Golden State could lose a 22-year-old talent for nothing next summer. That’s not just a risk, that’s a potential disaster, especially when you consider how many veterans are reportedly waiting on the Kuminga situation before making decisions. Guys like Al Horford are holding off until they know how this plays out. Horford’s leadership, size, and playoff IQ would be huge off the bench, but everything’s paused. It’s not just about Kuminga. It’s the domino effect. Deontie Melton, Gary Payton II, and even possible training camp invitees are being impacted by this silence. The longer it stretches, the more complicated it gets to finalize rotations and build a coherent identity for the 202526 season. And let’s be real, this off season has already felt off. Steph Curry even admitted it in a recent interview. He said the team needs some pieces and implied that the front office has been too quiet. He’s watching this Kuminga drama like the rest of us and that should worry everyone. Now, here’s where I’m going to flip the vibe because even though this sounds like doom and gloom, I still believe the Warriors are in control of their own destiny. First off, they still haven’t traded Kuminga. That speaks volumes. Despite all the rumors, and yeah, there have been trade talks, they’ve held on to him. That means they see something. That means they believe, at least partially, that he could still be part of the next Warriors era. And why wouldn’t they? Kuminga is coming off a breakout campaign, averaging 15.3 points and 4.6 rebounds with expanded minutes and improved decision-making. He looked more confident, more composed, and more impactful. Especially when Kerr finally let him run with the second unit. He’s not perfect. His defense can be spotty and he still has tunnel vision on drives, but that’s developmental stuff, not character flaws. This dude is still just 22. The sky’s is the limit if the Warriors can give him time and a clear role. Second, a long-term deal with the right structure could save this. A three-year contract with escalating incentives or a player option in year two or three could give Kaminga the respect he’s seeking while still protecting the franchise’s long-term flexibility. It’s not impossible. It’s actually smart. Third, if Kaminga does take the qualifying offer, that might spark something even bigger. It would be a wake-up call to the entire front office. You can’t slowplay development and expect loyalty. That message could force the Warriors to make bold, smart, necessary moves around Curry before it’s too late. Now, let’s not sugarcoat it. The front office is walking a tight rope. There’s criticism about how this is being handled. Some insiders are even pointing fingers at Kuminga’s agent for playing hard ball and slowing the off season. But in the end, this is a chance for both sides to prove who they are. For Kuminga, are you betting on your own stardom, or are you looking for stability? for the Warriors. Are you building something beyond the big three, or are you stuck trying to stretch the last sparks of a fading dynasty? And here’s the big takeaway I’ll leave you with. This story isn’t over. Training camp starts in September. The qualifying offer deadline is October 1st. That gives both parties weeks to cool the tension and find common ground. And if they do, if they pull it off, Golden State could walk into the new season with a reinvigorated core, more depth, a locked in Kuminga, and Curry with help. Suddenly that play and disappointment fades. Suddenly Hope’s back. So now it’s on you, Dub Nation. What do you think? Should the Warriors lock in Kuminga longterm, or is he overvaluing himself right now? Do you think he’ll take that qualifying offer, or will the front office finally step up and figure this out? Drop your takes in the comments. Let’s talk it out. Smash that like button if you’re fired up about this team’s future. And make sure you’re subscribed to Warriors Nation News. We’re covering every move, every rumor, and every second of this ride. because of Kuminga stays.

The Golden State Warriors are in the spotlight with Jonathan Kuminga’s contract standoff freezing free agency moves and delaying roster decisions. Kuminga refuses to accept a two-year, $45M team option deal, signaling he wants respect as a core piece or the freedom of a qualifying offer. Meanwhile, Steph Curry has spoken out about the quiet offseason, stressing the team “needs some pieces” but showing full confidence in the Warriors’ ability to contend for another championship. With veterans like Al Horford waiting, the franchise’s next steps could reshape the season. Add in the release of the full 2025-26 schedule with 34 national TV games, including matchups against the Lakers, Nuggets, and Mavericks, and the stage is set for a dramatic year in Dub Nation. Will the Warriors commit to Kuminga, make key moves, and prove Steph right?

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