The Golden State Warriors are up 1-0 over the Houston Rockets in their first-round NBA Playoff series, but no matter how their run in the postseason ends, they'll have a huge decision to make almost as soon as the offseason begins. That decision will revolve around whether to pay Jonathan Kuminga or not. After betting on himself this past season, Kuminga is in line for a pretty big payday in restricted free agency.
If the recent reporting is any indication, there's a growing chance that Kuminga's days in a Warriors uniform are numbered, especially considering he's been a DNP-CD for the past three games. Golden State can't love the idea of losing Kuminga for nothing in free agency, but, at this point, they may not have many other options - unless they're willing to re-sign Kuminga without a clear plan for him moving forward. That's where the true dilemma lies for the Warriors.
With the real possibility that the Warriors and Kuminga could choose to part ways this offseason, we explore three teams that may be in a perfect position to pounce on the young, rising wing.
Brooklyn Nets
According to Marc Stein, the Brooklyn Nets are not only one team that is projected to have more than $30 million in real cap space this summer, but also one of the teams that the Warriors believe could end up pursuing Kuminga in restricted free agency. Who knows if the Nets are going to aggressively look to spend money in free agency, but if they are, Kuminga is the exact type of young prospect they should be lining up to pursue.
While it wouldn't make a ton of sense for the Nets to sign or trade for a veteran player like Kevin Durant, taking a flier on a young, rising player like Kuminga would be a much smarter move. There's no guarantee the Nets are going to pursue a big move this offseason, but if they do, the Nets are one team that may not need the help of the Warriors to pry Kuminga away in free agency.
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons have quickly evolved from a rebuilding team to one that has one of the most promising young cores in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons could head into the offseason with the goal of adding even more talent to their young foundation. One option that could arise for the Pistons this summer revolves around poaching a young, rising piece like Jonathan Kuminga.
If the Warriors don't have a clear plan for Kuminga moving forward, he could benefit from a situation like the Pistons. But as much as Kuminga could gain from joining a rising, young team like the Pistons, so can Detroit. Kuminga, at just 22 years old, still has star potential and has a skill set that could fit next to Cade Cunningham. If the Pistons could find a third team to take on Tobias Harris' contract, this idea would become much more of a possibility heading into the summer.
Washington Wizards
The Wizards are certainly one team to watch when it comes to potential candidates that could be interested in Kuminga. There is a path to the Wizards getting in a position to gain some real financial flexibility. It would likely have to be preceded by multiple trades, beginning with one of Khris Middleton. This could be easier said than done, but if they can get out from under his $ 30-million-plus contract for next season, it will make a path toward Washington pursuing Kuminga that much simpler.
The Wizards could also do themselves a ton of favors by trading Marcus Smart, who is due $21 million in the final year of his contract with the team. In theory, if the Wizards are able to land one of the top two picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, looking to sign or pry a player like Kuminga away from the Warriors could be an appealing option.