Warriors Still Expect To Secure Al Horford Despite Ongoing Kuminga Impasse
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The Golden State Warriors remain confident they will land veteran center Al Horford even as restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga continues to negotiate with the club, according to Jake Fischer during a Bleacher Report live stream on Wednesday.
Fischer said Horford, 40, is among several veterans who are willing to wait until the Kuminga situation is settled. Guards De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, Seth Curry and potentially Malcolm Brogdon are also on Golden State’s radar, but those players are viewed as minimum-salary candidates, whereas Horford is expected to command a richer deal.
Taxpayer MLE in Play for Horford
Horford could receive “upwards of the full taxpayer mid-level exception,” Fischer noted, adding that a two-year contract with a player option has been discussed. Team insiders envision him starting at center next season, which aligns with earlier reporting from ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
Cap Complications Tied to Kuminga
The Warriors have delayed most offseason business until Kuminga’s status is resolved because using any portion of the mid-level exception would hard-cap the club at the second tax apron. A hard cap could limit Golden State’s ability to match an offer sheet for Kuminga if a rival team clears space to sign him.
If Kuminga accepts the reported two-year, $45 million offer already on the table, Golden State would sit roughly $14.9 million below the second apron with 10 players under contract, giving the front office room to hand Horford the full $5.7 million taxpayer MLE and fill out the roster with minimum deals.
Should Kuminga instead sign his $7.98 million qualifying offer, the Warriors would be about $17 million under the first apron, allowing them to exceed the taxpayer MLE for Horford. Doing so, however, would trigger a first-apron hard cap that team executives may prefer to avoid.
Timeline Could Stretch Into September
Kuminga’s qualifying-offer deadline is Oct. 1, and Fischer cautioned that the stalemate could linger well into September. Until there is clarity, Horford and the other veterans linked to Golden State are expected to stay patient.
Source: Hoops Rumors
