Will the Warriors-Jonathan Kuminga stalemate be resolved?
Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill is joined by SNY’s Ian Begley to discuss Golden State’s standoff with their former first round pick - as the restricted free agent is negotiating with the team for a new contract, as Sacramento and Phoenix are reportedly seeking a potential trade. Hear the full conversation on “Good Word with Goodwill” and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.
Video Transcript
Restricted free agency.
If you even wind up going to restricted free agency, it almost feels like a bad sign.
Right?
If your team doesn't extend you after year three going into year four, then it feels like you're about to be in a trick bag because not every team has the resources to offer you something, and then the team that owns your rights has the right of first refusal.
Jonathan Caminga clearly does not fit with the Golden State Warriors.
Whether that's a team philosophy, whether that you believe his IQ isn't as high as it needs to be, whatever it is, it does not seem like a fit.
Sacramento wants him, Phoenix wants him.
Do you see a way that this can be satisfied for both teams, or is this just a bad marriage that's going to continue being bad?
Yeah, the easiest way to solve it obviously is if you're Golden State, take a deal that you don't want, get back something rather than get back nothing.
And then Caminga moves on and fills a role that he's obviously looking to fill; that he's not gonna get a chance to fill in Golden State.
If he comes back to the Warriors, can he accept a smaller role?
Can he star in his role, knowing that his free agency, his payday is around the corner?
Does Golden State blink first and say, all right, we're gonna settle for an offer we don't love from the Kings or the Suns, or does Golden State stand firm and does Caminga blink first?
So just an interesting dynamic out in Golden State with Caminga.
And I can understand to some degree why Golden State would view Caminga as a valuable asset, right?
Jimmy Butler, late 30s.
Steph, late 30s.
Draymond Green, late 30s; like you have your three bell cows, guys who are in their late 30s.
Jonathan Caminga at his age and the versatility.
He's quick.
He's got this quick bounce, this quick leap.
He plays at a completely different speed than anybody does with the Warriors.
And if I'm him, I'm frustrated too.
And he's got his championship ring.
He won a ring in '22.
Now he wants his money, he wants to be able to play, and I think it's sometimes unfair of us as media and fans to say, hey, keep sacrificing in the name of Stephen Curry's legacy.
Keep sacrificing in the name of these old guys giving one more run.
At some point, these young guys want to make a name for themselves, make their money, make their mark, and maybe that's not at the place where I was drafted.