It’s hard to gauge how the Golden State Warriors will attack the offseason following the Jimmy Butler trade that saved this season.
Changes to the roster are still to be determined depending on how these Butler-infused Warriors finish the season. But this early, Bleacher Report’s salary cap expert Eric Pincus predicted the Warriors will target Los Angeles Clippers‘ breakout star Norman Powell.
The 31-year-old Powell was the main beneficiary of Paul George‘s departure from the Clippers and the early-season absence of Kawhi Leonard from injury.
Powell is averaging a career-high 23.4 points this season as a full-time starter for the Clippers, who are trailing the Warriors by two games for the No. 6 seed in the loaded Western Conference. The 10-year veteran was one of the biggest snubs in the NBA All-Star at San Francisco.
His rise into becoming a prolific scorer this season is marked by his career-high 3.2 3s per game on 7.7 attempts. His high-volume 3-point shooting and efficient 42.2% clip are attributes that could attract the Warriors in the offseason.
Warriors’ Trade Baits Named
Powell will enter the final year of his five-year, $90 million contract next season that will pay him $20.5 million.
According to Pincus, the Warriors’ trade baits this offseason are Buddy Hield ($9.2 million) Brandin Podziemski ($3.2 million) and Jonathan Kuminga (sign-and-trade).
“The most significant decision the team has to make this offseason concerns Kuminga, who is expected to be well-compensated as a restricted free agent. The team can keep him depending on his price, which may raise payroll as high as the second apron. Instead, the Warriors could execute a sign-and-trade to get value in return (with a second-apron hard cap),” Pincus wrote.
If the Warriors and Kuminga could not agree to an extension again this summer, a sign-and-trade for Powell could become an option.
Jonathan Kuminga’s Return
Kuminga’s return from a 32-game absence had mixed results.
He was impressive in his first game back in the Warriors’ 130-104 win over the Sacramento Kings on March 13 with 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting off the bench.
“I love that my man came out there aggressive, putting the ball in the basket, high energy, jumping out the gym and dunking the basketball,” Jimmy Butler said of Kuminga after their first game together. “I want him to be him to the best of his abilities, continually be great and help this squad achieve something special.”
“It was just thinking when I come back I don’t want to mess things up — I don’t want to be the one,” Kuminga told reporters after the win. “It’s just being nervous. Until you’re out there and you see everything is very easy.”
However, Kuminga’s offense regressed in the next game — a testy 97-94 Warriors win over the New York Knicks on March 15 in a grind-it-out game played with a playoff atmosphere.
Against the Knicks, Kuminga scored 10 points but only shot 3-for-8 from the floor. He compensated for his shooting woes by dishing out five assists and grabbing five rebounds with one block.
It’s obvious, Kuminga was trying to fit in with the new-look Warriors who have found success without him since the arrival of Butler. But if he wants to get the $35 million annual salary average he sought in his failed extension talks with the Warriors last offseason, Kuminga should work on his consistency for the remainder of the season before he hits restricted free agency.
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