Update on Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors as well as updates on Giddey, Thomas, Grimes restricted free agency

Restricted free agency often is a brutal spot for a player to find himself. While it sounds great that a player is free to sign an offer sheet with any team — which his current team has the right to match — the reality is far trickier. Players aren’t moving teams in free agency much anymore (players of note tend to be traded), so teams aren’t hoarding much cap space, so few teams can even make a sizable offer. Even if a team has the cap space and covets a restricted free agent, they generally have to overpay to the point that the current team will not match. Once the offer sheet is signed, the new team has to sit around for 48 hours of prime free agency signings with their money tied up until the current team decides to match or not.

It often leads to stalemates. There are four in the NBA right now, all with a similar theme (and in a few cases, dollar amounts). Let’s break them down.

Jonathan Kuminga

The expectation going into the offseason was that Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors would find a sign-and-trade deal that would get Kuminga to a new home out from under Steve Kerr, and the Warriors would get something in return to help them win now in the Stephen Curry era. Both sides were ready to part ways. Except, no trade has come together.

Sacramento has been the name most often linked to Kuminga, but no deal is reportedly even close to being finalized. There are reports that the Bulls have some interest and have talked to the Warriors, but again there seems to be no traction toward a trade (Golden State does not want Nikola Vucevic back in a deal). The Suns have reportedly had early discussions about a sign-and-trade, and they are intrigued by him, but nothing is close because the Warriors want a first-round pick in any Kuminga trade, and the Suns lack draft capital, Jake Fischer reports.

Kuminga wants a deal in the four-year, $120 million range, $30 million a season or more, but the Warriors are thinking more like $20 million a year over three years, a contract they could flip in a trade at the February deadline (or next summer). That’s where the standoff lies. Last season, Kuminga averaged 15.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, but shot 30.5% from 3-point range with a true shooting percentage of .535, well below the league average.

If, or more likely when, the Warriors and Kuminga settle this and he returns to the team on a shorter contract, two things have to happen: 1) Steve Kerr has just to trust Kuminga, play him heavy minutes and let him play through some mistakes; 2) Kuminga has to show he deserves those minutes with a level of play where other teams would be willing to trade something of real value for him.

Cam Thomas

Cam Thomas’ situation became very public this week when the Brooklyn guard ranted against The Ringer’s Zach Lowe for stating publicly what the league consensus is on Thomas.

Financially, this is reportedly similar to Kuminga’s situation: Thomas wants a deal in the $30 million a year range, but the Nets are thinking more like $20 million (the Nets currently have about $17 million in cap space and can create up to about $25 million by waiving a couple of players with non-guaranteed contracts). Thomas doesn’t have to like it, maybe he can change it, but what Lowe said about the league’s perception of him is spot on, and in a world of tax aprons, he’s going to struggle to get the money he seeks from anyone. This is another situation where, whatever deal the sides eventually agree upon, Brooklyn will want it to be something they can easily flip in the future in another trade. Don’t expect this one to be resolved anytime soon.

Josh Giddey

Josh Giddey put up numbers for the Bulls last season, and after the All-Star break averaged 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists a game for a Chicago team that went 17-10 for that stretch.

See if this sounds familiar: Giddey and his representation want around $30 million a season, but Chicago’s management is thinking more like $20 million a year (a more tradable contract). There are also questions around the league about whether a team can build a contender with Giddey as one of the top two options, because he is not a strong defender and needs to have the ball in his hands to be effective.

Quentin Grimes

This is the least contentious of the outstanding restricted free agents: Grimes wants to be a Sixer — he thrived after being traded there — and Philly intends to bring him back. The only question is the money and number and years for the 25-year-old, and the sides are still negotiating. Philadelphia reportedly wants a contract of at least three years.

Grimes in a rotation with Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and just-drafted VJ Edgecombe could be the future in Philly (whatever happens with Joel Embiid and Paul George). This will be worked out, it just might end up being closer to training camp.