TITLE: Warriors’ Pursuit of Al Horford Hinges on Jonathan Kuminga’s Contract Decision
SLUG: warriors-pursuit-of-al-horford-hinges-on-jonathan-kumingas-contract-decision
CONTENT:
The Golden State Warriors remain optimistic about landing veteran center Al Horford, but the franchise cannot finalize an offer until restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga decides his future, league sources told Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report and The Stein Line.
Fischer said during a live stream this week that Horford, 40, has maintained regular contact with Golden State’s front office and is willing to wait for clarity on Kuminga’s negotiations. Other free agents connected to the Warriors—De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, Seth Curry and Malcolm Brogdon—are expected to be limited to minimum-salary offers.
Horford is seeking more than a minimum deal and could receive the full $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception. Discussions have also included a potential two-year contract featuring a player option, and ESPN’s Anthony Slater has reported that Golden State envisions Horford as a key rotation piece—and possibly the starting center—if an agreement is reached.
Cap Scenarios Tied to Kuminga
The Warriors’ ability to use any portion of the mid-level exception depends on Kuminga’s decision:
- Two-year, $45 million offer: Should Kuminga accept the reported team proposal, Golden State would sit about $14.9 million below the second apron with 10 players under contract, allowing the club to extend Horford the full taxpayer mid-level and fill the roster with minimum signings.
- $7.98 million qualifying offer: If the forward chooses this route, the Warriors would have roughly $17 million of space below the first apron. The team could exceed the taxpayer exception for Horford, but doing so would institute a first-apron hard cap—an outcome management may prefer to avoid.
According to Fischer, Kuminga’s situation could linger into September. The 21-year-old has until Oct. 1 to decide on his qualifying offer, a timeline that is delaying Golden State’s broader offseason plans.
Source: Hoops Wire
