The Golden State Warriors lost one of their free agent targets amid the stalemate with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga.
On Aug. 11, ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania reported that Javonte Green is finalizing a one-year deal to join the Detroit Pistons.
NBA insider Jake Fischer previously reported on Bleacher Report’s “NBA Insider Notebook” that Green was “someone the Warriors have linked in the past.”
The 32-year-old defensive wing had already played in the Warriors system with his stint at Santa Cruz in the G League during the 2023-24 season. The 6-foot-5 wing split his time last season between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Cleveland Cavaliers. He averaged 5.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 18.5 minutes across 68 games last season.
Getty Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors dribbles past Javonte Green, formerly of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Warriors’ Remaining Free Agent Options
With Green off the free agent market, the Warriors still have a few options left.
Multiple reports, most recently by Fischer, point to the Warriors having already free agent deals lined up for veterans Al Hordord, De’Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II.
Meanwhile, Seth Curry — Stephen Curry‘s younger brother — is also under consideration for the Warriors. Fischer also added that former Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon “remains a possibility” for the Warriors, who are the only NBA team that has not added a player with league experience this offseason.
They want to settle Kuminga’s restricted free agency first to get a clear look at their salary books before making a move in free agency.
“So right now this remains in a holding pattern and all the other Golden State veteran free agent stuff is going to be held off until this happens until there’s some resolution with Kuminga as well, because the Warriors don’t want to be going past the first apron,” Fischer said. “They want to still be working as a team with full access to the taxpayer mid-level exception.”
Warriors Interested in Giddey-Kuminga Swap
In the same livestream, Fischer also reported about the Warriors’ interest in a potential Kuminga-Josh Giddey swap.
“Golden State would be interested, depending on how the machinations could go in some type of Josh Giddey-Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade,” Fischer reported.
Fischer added that the Warriors’ interest in Giddey dated back to the 2021 NBA draft.
“To my understanding, the Warriors were prepared on draft night way back in 2021 for Jonathan Kuminga to go no. 6 to Oklahoma City and they were ready to take Josh Giddey at no. 7,” Fischer said.
GettyJosh Giddey of the Chicago Bulls celebrates with teammates after hitting a game-winning three-pointer against the Los Angeles Lakers.
But the Thunder picked Giddey and the Warriors ended up with Kuminga, who never found his footing in Steve Kerr’s system.
The pass-first Giddey would have a better chance of thriving under Kerr.
The Australian point guard is coming off his best season in the NBA as the Bulls’ primary playmaker. He averaged a career-high 7.2 assists to go with 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals. He also shot a career-best 37.8% from the 3-point line.
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