As the Golden State Warriors have remained at an impasse with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga this offseason, they have been held in a virtual chokehold in free agency, unable to finalize their negotiations with a number of veterans on the market who they desperately need.
Now, as September begins, there still remains no resolution in sight for Kuminga until the end of the month, and, if the cohesion of the team's roster is effected once the season begins, fans should be extremely upset with the front office for how they've handled the situation.
While part of the blame surely lies on Kuminga's camp's refusal to adequately adjust their lofty expectations to the cold realities of the market, the organization's indecision and lack of commitment to one direction truly lie behind their stagnancy during this highly important offseason.
Kuminga's chokehold on the Warriors could have major implications for the start of the regular season
As the offseason has worn on, Golden State and Kuminga's representation have still failed to reach an agreement for him to return to the organization, at least on a short-term basis. At the beginning of the offseason, it was widely expected that Kuminga would seek a deal in the range of $30 million annual value.
When it became apparent that the coldness of the current market would allow neither for an offer sheet nor a suitable sign-and-trade opportunity, the two sides returned to the drawing board, ultimately finding common ground on a potential short-term deal that would allow him to find a new destination in the near future.
Yet, the two sides have come to an impasse over some of the more specific terms of the deal, including the possibility of a team or player option, meaning that the Warriors still have yet to make a major move in free agency as a direct result of their continued financial uncertainty.
Nevertheless, when the Kuminga situation is resolved, the organization will need to jump into action quickly. Training camp opens on September 29, and, as of now, Kuminga has no real incentive to sign any sort of deal before his qualifying offer expires on October 1.
If Golden State enters training camp without a solidifed roster and their time with their new acquisitions before of the start of the season is limited even slightly, the results on their performance early in the regular season could be disastrous.
In a loaded Western Conference, the Warriors first 12 games hold matchups against the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder, meaning that a solid start to the season could set them up well on their quest for a top playoff seed.
Even one rough stretch, however, could leave them fighting for a play-in spot as they did last season. Therefore, the Warriors desperately need to start off strong, and the organization's stand-off from Kuminga could frustratingly prevent them from doing so.