The Golden State Warriors may signal a former primary choose in free company if Jonathan Kuminga leaves.
The Golden State Warriors are caught in free company. They’ve 9 gamers on their roster, and received’t signal their line of impending free brokers till their Jonathan Kuminga stalemate is resolved.
The Warriors are linked with Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, Seth Curry, and Gary Payton II, who Stephen Curry is pushing Golden State to signal. They should signal a minimum of three of these gamers to satisfy the NBA’s roster necessities.
Reviews say the Warriors may additionally purchase a former number-one choose who continues to be accessible in free company.
The Warriors may signal Ben Simmons in free company, relying on the end result of Kuminga’s contract talks. Simmons was a extremely touted primary choose with the Philadelphia 76ers. Bodily accidents and psychological capturing blocks have stalled his profession in latest seasons.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report mentioned that Simmons may very well be a helpful bench participant for the Warriors, as they attempt to win Curry his fifth NBA title.
He wrote, “Simmons is comparable in some ways to Draymond Inexperienced. Neither has earned their contracts via particular person scoring, however via protection and playmaking.
“With an elite shooter like Steph Curry and a tricky all-around competitor like Jimmy Butler, Golden State is a formidable contender within the Western Convention when wholesome.
“Simmons wouldn’t match alongside Inexperienced, however may very well be a helpful reserve behind him, in order that the workforce doesn’t want to change its type of play. Inexperienced is prepared to take the surface shot, make or miss, the one obtrusive distinction between the 2.”
Golden State provided Kuminga a two-year, $45 million deal. They might need to pay Kuminga greater than that to maintain him long-term, nonetheless. Alternatively, they may organize a sign-and-trade to get him off the books, or let him stroll without cost in 2026 after taking a one-year qualifying provide price $7.9 million.
There’s a host of potential endings to this ongoing saga. Golden State are compelled to place all different free company selections on the again burner till they discover out which path Kuminga will take.
Pincus additionally listed the New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Sacramento Kings as different believable choices for Simmons this summer season. They’d be signing him for very completely different causes.
The Knicks want playmaking alongside Brunson. They’ve scoring expertise up and down the roster from Karl Anthony-Cities to Jalen Brunson. New York additionally has a deep rotation of wing defenders. However signing pass-first playmakers is a requirement of theirs.
Simmons has a psychological block for capturing. It received so dangerous at one level he wouldn’t shoot layups. However he’s at all times been a pass-first guard with unbelievable playmaking means. There’s a task for him on the Knicks as a distributor off the bench.
He’s additionally a high-level defender when wholesome, one thing at all times valued in Minnesota. Their id is constructed across the defensive toughness of Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert of their lineup. The Timberwolves have two of the very best defenders within the NBA beginning for them. Simmons may add depth in that division.
The Kings could be firing for upside. They traded De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs and at the moment are left with a singular star in Domantas Sabonis. In signing Simmons, they might hope he can recapture his rookie season type, which earned him Rookie of the 12 months with the 76ers, and switch right into a second star alongside Sabonis.
If the Warriors are concentrating on Simmons this offseason, they might miss out to those three groups because of their points with Kuminga.
