Restricted free agency is a state of limbo that players try desperately to avoid, as the rules are heavily tilted in favor of the teams. This year, in particular, is tough because there were so few teams with cap space, meaning the player had even less leverage. If you need proof, the cases of the Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga and the Nets’ Cam Thomas are perfect examples of how a player can get stuck in restricted free agency.
In the end, the smart money is on Kuminga and Thomas returning to play for their current teams, which could create an awkward dynamic. In both cases, it would be for considerably less money than they think they deserve, and on shorter contracts that could help facilitate a trade.
There have been updates on both in recent days, here is where things stand.
Jonathan Kuminga
The pace of talks around the Warriors forward has picked up, but that doesn’t mean the sides are closer to a deal. While Warriors’ general manager Mike Dunleavy made what the team considered a fair offer, Kuminga told ESPN’s Anthony Slater that the offers the Warriors have made do not come close to what he is seeking.
But Kuminga hasn’t found anything they presented appealing, he said, so the drawn-out negotiations will remain motionless, likely keeping the Warriors’ other offseason business on pause. They are the only NBA team not to sign or trade for a player this summer.
There are two reasons why Kuminga is stalled: money and role. On the money side, Kuminga is reportedly seeking a contract in the $30 million a season range, while the Warriors are offering shorter deals, two or three years, in the low $20 million a season range. That’s a huge gap. Part of the financial challenge is on the Warriors’ side: a Kuminga sign-and-trade would hard cap Golden State at the first luxury tax apron, a number it is currently about $25 million below, but with at least five more roster spots to fill.
The other part is the role on the court. Kuminga wants a larger one, to have the ball in his hands more, something he has not consistently had under Steve Kerr in Golden…
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