The Golden State Warriors have figured out ways to maximize and extend their NBA championship window throughout Stephen Curry's Hall of Fame career, but the writing is now in bold print on the proverbial wall.
Golden State has two years left to win its fifth title of the Curry era before a massive franchise reset must begin.
Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and head coach Steve Kerr are all under contract through the 2026-27, after which those three players will be 39, 37 and 37 years old, respectively.
Kerr stuck around after former general manager and four-time championship architect Bob Myers took his leave from the organization, but the final season on Kerr's deal will be his 13th year with the team and could well mark a logical stepping away point for the second-longest tenured coach in the NBA.
With that in mind, the Warriors are expected to be highly active in the free-agent and trade markets this offseason. The team has four first-round picks it can trade and Butler's $54 million salary at its disposal, should Golden State decide to pursue a deal for an expensive player like Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.
However, there is also the Jonathan Kuminga piece to consider. The versatile forward is about to hit restricted free agency following the completion of his $25 million rookie contract. The team's acquisition of Butler put Kuminga in a difficult place from a minutes standpoint, and Kerr all but entirely benched him down the stretch of the regular season and through the first round of the playoffs.
But the former lottery pick proved himself a capable two-way asset against the Houston Rockets in Round 2 while Curry was sidelined with a hamstring strain. Kuminga and the Warriors don't make sense as a longterm union, particularly considering the franchise's brief title window, though Golden State can't just let him walk for nothing in return.
Dan Favale of Bleacher Report on Sunday, June 8, suggested a sign-and-trade as an acceptable solution for both Kuminga and the Warriors.
"Parting ways feels best for both sides. But Golden State can't afford to let Kuminga leave for nothing," Favale wrote. "Finding a sign-and-trade is most preferable, but the Base Year Compensation rule complicates that direction as well. However this ends, Golden State must figure out a way to preserve Kuminga as an asset."
