If Jonathan Kuminga departs, the Golden State Warriors might look to add a former top overall pick in free agency.
Golden State’s offseason plans remain on hold. The team currently has just nine players under contract and cannot move forward with other signings until the situation with Kuminga is settled.
Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, Seth Curry, and Gary Payton II have all been mentioned as potential targets for the Warriors, with Stephen Curry reportedly advocating for Payton’s return. The team needs to fill at least three roster spots to meet league minimums.
There is also talk that the Warriors could go for a former number-one pick who is still available on the market.
Jonathan Kuminga’s departure could make Warriors look to Ben Simmons
The Warriors could target Ben Simmons as a replacement if Jonathan Kuminga departs. Simmons, a former top pick, has faced setbacks due to injuries and shooting woes during his NBA career.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report thinks Simmons could still be valuable off the bench for a Warriors team looking to give Curry one more title run.
“Simmons is similar in many ways to Draymond Green. Neither has earned their contracts through individual scoring, but through defense and playmaking.
“With an elite shooter like Steph Curry and a tough all-around competitor like Jimmy Butler, Golden State is a formidable contender in the Western Conference when healthy.
“Simmons wouldn’t fit alongside Green, but could be a valuable reserve behind him so that the team doesn’t need to alter its style of play. Green is willing to take the outside shot, make or miss, the one glaring difference between the two.”
The Warriors put forward a two-year offer worth $45 million for Kuminga. If they want to keep him around long-term, they will likely need to go higher than that. The other options are either working out a sign-and-trade or letting him leave for free in 2026 after playing under his $7.9 million qualifying offer.
There are plenty of ways this story could end up going, but until the forward makes his decision clear, every other move is on hold for Golden State.
Other teams in the mix for Ben Simmons
Eric Pincus also mentioned the New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Sacramento Kings as possible landing spots for Simmons this summer. Each team would be looking at him for different reasons.
The Knicks are still searching for more playmaking to pair with Jalen Brunson. While they have scoring options from Karl-Anthony Towns to Brunson himself, as well as a solid group of wing defenders, adding another facilitator remains a priority.
Simmons has struggled with his shooting confidence to the point where he avoided even simple layups. But his passing has always been a strength, and there could be value in using him as a bench distributor.
In Minnesota, Simmons’ defensive skills might be the biggest draw. The Timberwolves already have one of the league’s best defensive duos in Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert, so adding Simmons would only strengthen their depth on that side of the ball.
Sacramento’s interest would likely be based on potential upside. After trading De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio, they are left relying heavily on Domantas Sabonis. If Simmons can rediscover some of what made him Rookie of the Year in Philadelphia, he could help fill that void next to Sabonis.
If Golden State are interested in bringing in Simmons this offseason, their ongoing situation with Kuminga could leave them behind these three teams in the race.
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