Warriors fans should be livid if Jonathan Kuminga disaster extends any further
As the Golden State Warriors have remained at an impasse with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga this offseason, they have been held in a virtual chokehold in free agency, unable to finalize their negotiations with a number of veterans on the market who they desperately need.
Now, as September begins, there still remains no resolution in sight for Kuminga until the end of the month, and, if the cohesion of the team's roster is effected once the season begins, fans should be extremely upset with the front office for how they've handled the situation.
While part of the blame surely lies on Kuminga's camp's refusal to adequately adjust their lofty expectations to the cold realities of the market, the organization's indecision and lack of commitment to one direction truly lie behind their stagnancy during this highly important offseason.
Kuminga's chokehold on the Warriors could have major implications for the start of the regular season
As the offseason has worn on, Golden State and Kuminga's representation have still failed to reach an agreement for him to return to the organization, at least on a short-term basis. At the beginning of the offseason, it was widely expected that Kuminga would seek a deal in the range of $30 million annual value.
When it became apparent that the coldness of the current market would allow neither for an offer sheet nor a suitable sign-and-trade opportunity, the two sides returned to the drawing board, ultimately finding common ground on a potential short-term deal that would allow him to find a new destination in the near future.
Yet, the two sides have come to an impasse over some of the more specific terms of the deal, including the possibility of a team or player option, meaning that the Warriors still have yet to make a major move in free agency as a direct result of their continued financial uncertainty.
Nevertheless, when the Kuminga situation is resolved, the organization will need to jump into action quickly. Training camp opens on September 29, and, as of now, Kuminga has no real incentive to sign any sort of deal before his qualifying offer expires on October 1.
If Golden State enters training camp without a solidifed roster and their time with their new acquisitions before of the start of the season is limited even slightly, the results on their performance early in the regular season could be disastrous.
In a loaded Western Conference, the Warriors first 12 games hold matchups against the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder, meaning that a solid start to the season could set them up well on their quest for a top playoff seed.
Even one rough stretch, however, could leave them fighting for a play-in spot as they did last season. Therefore, the Warriors desperately need to start off strong, and the organization's stand-off from Kuminga could frustratingly prevent them from doing so.
Myles Garrett Made Specific Demands of Browns Involving QB Situation
The Cleveland Browns will begin the season with 40-year-0ld quarterback Joe Flacco under center, and not only because the other two options are rookies without a single snap of regular-season NFL experience.
Superstar defensive end Myles Garrett didn’t advocate for Flacco specifically, or at least no one has reported that he did. However, he was clear with management and the coaching staff this offseason as he was negotiating a contract extension in the midst of a trade demand that he was sick of rebuilding
“A source with knowledge of Garret’s thinking said the defensive end preferred a veteran quarterback who could contribute — with the understanding Cleveland wasn’t in a position to spend lucratively and would likely also be bringing in a rookie quarterback,” Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN wrote on Wednesday, September 3.
Garrett ended up signing a four-year extension worth $160 million that keeps him under contract in Cleveland through 2030. What kind of assurances he got from the franchise as to the quarterback position are unclear, though the Browns traded for Kenny Pickett three days after locking Garrett into his new deal and added Flacco in free agency approximately one month later.
A little more than two weeks after that, the franchise drafted Dillon Gabriel near the end of the third round and Shedeur Sanders at the beginning of the fifth.
Joe Flacco Won QB1 Spot by Default After Kenny Pickett Got Injured, Traded
GettyCleveland Browns starting quarterback Joe Flacco.
Flacco won the starting job almost by default after Pickett strained his hamstring early in training camp.
Flacco took over most of the first-team reps and Cleveland ultimately traded Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders, recouping the fifth-round pick they sent to the Philadelphia Eagles alongside QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson to acquire him in March.
The rest of the roster shook out with Gabriel winning the QB2 job and Sanders slotting in as the third-string signal-caller after the team parted ways with Pickett. The Browns also signed Bailey Zappe as their QB4.
Dillon Gabriel Threat to Take Joe Flacco’s Job as Starter if Browns Struggle Early
GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
Flacco has the job now but may not for long if he struggles out of the gate.
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com wrote on August 31 that the team’s decision-makers are happy with Gabriel and won’t fear to elevate him into the starting role, even amid the team’s brutal six-game stretch to open the campaign.
“If it’s going well and the Browns are scoring points, Flacco will continue on. But if he’s turning the ball over or taking sacks, the Browns will hand the reins to Gabriel without hesitation,” Cabot wrote. “They loved what they saw of Gabriel in camp and preseason games, and won’t hesitate to start him even if it’s early in the season.”
Cabot also noted that Sanders is likely to get a chance to play serious snaps in 2025, though she said that wouldn’t happen until later in the year and also did not specify whether his work would include a starting role at any point.
