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Jimmy Butler, Golden State Warriors
Jimmy Butler, who was at the center of drama last year in Miami that derailed the Heat, is now watching a similar situation unfold in Golden State with the Warriors’ contract stalemate involving restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga.
According to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson, Butler reached out to the Warriors front office amid the quiet offseason caused by the hold-up.
“When is basketball going to take over?” Johnson asked on the Dubs Talk podcast. “That has to be the thoughts of, in my eyes, the three veteran stars: Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler. In that ESPN article, they mentioned that Draymond [Green] and Jimmy have checked in and reached out to Jonathan Kuminga. I can confidently say that Jimmy Butler has also reached out to the team and been like, ‘What’s going on here? I just wanted to know the plan.’”
Stars Understand Warriors’ Strategy
ESPN’s Anthony Slater and Shams Charania reported Monday that the Warriors’ veteran stars understand and support the team’s approach. “They know the strategy, sources said, and have approved that anticipated result,” Slater and Charania wrote.
Johnson added, “Of course, Steph, Draymond, Jimmy—they’re in the loop. But I think Jimmy, as someone who came on last year and kind of showed, ‘all right, you took care of me, all the drama is done,’ it’s just basketball for him now. When he’s on the court, it’s about basketball. Now I think he’s saying, ‘Show me that’s all about basketball. We have two weeks until training camp, so either just pay him or move him.’ There needs to be a decision.”
Roster Holds Amid Contract Standoff
Currently, the Warriors have only nine of their 15 roster spots filled. The team’s plan is to finalize Kuminga’s contract before completing the rest of the roster, which includes veteran free agents such as center Al Horford, guard De’Anthony Melton, defensive specialist Gary Payton II, and potentially Seth Curry, to reunite with his brother Stephen.
The Warriors’ strategy relies heavily on using the taxpayer midlevel exception on Horford. That move would hard-cap the team at the NBA’s second apron, leaving $22.5 million as the maximum they could offer Kuminga while maintaining a full 15-player roster. Slater and Charania noted that the figure has so far been insufficient to entice Kuminga to accept a multiyear deal with a team option on the final year.
Improved Offer Fails to Move Kuminga
Golden State has ramped up its effort with an improved offer: a three-year, $75.2 million contract, including $48.3 million guaranteed over the first two seasons. Despite the raised stakes, Kuminga remains resistant to the team option on the final year. During the stalemate, Butler and Green actively checked in on Kuminga, gauging his mindset as the Warriors attempted to resolve the situation.
Kuminga has held firm on his stance, insisting the final year be a player option.
“I actually talked to Aaron Turner, Jonathan Kuminga’s agent, this morning, and the messaging they’re adopting this week is simple: turn the team option into a player option, and the deal is done,” Slater said on NBA Today. “The three-year contract on the table is worth around $74 million, and if the third year becomes a player option, Kuminga will not only sign it but also fully buy into the team’s mission.”
Kuminga’s Mission and Butler’s Role
Turner says Kuminga’s mission is to help Curry and Green chase a fifth championship while giving Butler his first. The request for a player option is framed as a show of goodwill after years of uncertainty over Kuminga’s role. In return, Kuminga would accept a bench role, fluctuating minutes, and the reality that his contract could be tradable.
While Butler does not hold the same organizational gravitas as Curry, his outreach signals he is done with the drama he left behind in Miami and is fully focused on basketball.
As Johnson asked, “When is basketball going to take over?”
Alder Almo is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 20 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo
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