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athleticalchemy
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V-Pod 7-25-25

latest on kuminga

V-Pod 7-25-25

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100% The blame here is equally on Lacob and Kerr. Lacob because he took BPA instead of understanding his coach. Kerr because he absolutely will never give a fair shot to anyone who doesn't follow the script and "play the right way." BTW, the right way® is to have point-guard-level decision making when (if) you ever touch the ball. Anyone else will be benched for not playing within the system. If your decisions are not what Steve the player would do, you're benched (JK). If your decision takes more than 0.75 seconds, you're benched (Moody). And that's why the Warriors are the only NBA team playing 4 and 5 guard lineups. When Kerr was benching MM and JK in favor of Lamb, the writing was on the wall. At that point Lacob needed to drain the pool and leave no "high-IQ" scrubs for Kerr to ride. Or to trade JK and Moody for Kerr-style players. Or get rid of Kerr. Lacob and Kerr can't agree. Their basketball principles are irreconcilable. The JK contract debacle is a symptom of that schism.

Mike Peterson

I totally agree. The Warriors know the number that gets Kuminga to sign. JK knows the number the Warriors want. Both of them know their internal dates when they’ll have to move their number. Whoever’s date comes first is going to fold first. So both camps know how this is going to end, they’re just having a pretty straightforward standoff. It’s not as stressful or toxic for either of them as it is for fans who are talking themselves into a frenzy.

Ejikeme Uzoigwe

All fault is on Kuminga. Had he worked on his game properly, he would already sign max extension a year ago.

Ivan

That is assuming somebody still wants is to sign him for 25M. Patrick McCaw is out of the league not because of his play on a basketball court.

Ivan

When was the last time a “project” draft pick worked? Diamonds show themselves early

Kevin Chan

Definitely on Lacob and Myers, they definitely built some great rosters, but our draft picks were pretty poor during Myers' management except for 2012. Feel like we haven't even drafted fringe NBA players outside of Loon and Poole.

John Z

Agreed Shane Gillis killed unc shit had me dying😂

Jordan Reitzes

Ultimately it is a combination of Myers & Lacob’s fault for drafting a ‘project’ player. But it is what it is, I think they (MDJ now & Lacob) have learned their lesson in that front based on them now drafting based on their immediate needs instead of players that mainly have potential. As for the JK situation, I think the constant media reports make it seem like the situation is worse than it actually is. The Warriors reportedly have handshake deals with Horford & Melton, so both sides lose nothing by waiting. If the Warriors or JK can get another team to cough up a better deal, then both sides will be happy. If not, I fully expect JK to re-resign for short term deal with the understanding he would be traded at the deadline. I do not believe at all that JK would take the QO, that seems like spin by his agent (not a knock, he’s trying to get the best deal for JK). Re-signing & being traded at the deadline means both sides have an incentive to showcase JK. JK would only have to play half a season with the Warriors before being traded for his full salary. Signing the QO means that JK loses out on potentially 12-14 million dollars this year alone & possibly more next season. JK could get injured before FA, he could get 0 playing time before FA, & there is also no guarantee any other team offers him more during free agency next offseason. The CBA rules are already squeezing other middle-to-lower level guys, it makes no logical sense for JK to take QO with no guarantees in place. To be clear, the NBA is a business & JK *should* be looking out for himself and *not* the Warriors. Taking an unnecessary amount of risk (the QO) with absolutely no guarantee of more money/playing time/better situation is *not* to JK’s benefit. If no other team offers a worthwhile deal, re-signing with the Warriors(with guarantees in place about being showcased, which the Warriors would also want to get a better return) & being traded at the deadline puts JK in the best possible position to succeed in the future.

Tyler

That social battery is real thing Guessing you're an introvert as well

DW

Kobe hit those ft cause the game was on the line. The Lakers needed that win and they got it.

Uday A.

Alch, do you think the Valks should trade for four time wnba all star Brittany Hicks?

Gunners4life

As far as blame goes, JK has zero blame in this situation. The warriors have had all the cards to play these last 4 years. They chose to draft this guy with very little experience and a development project. Then failed to give him the development minutes and gave it to the likes of Anthony Lamb instead. Then they have had lots of opportunities to trade him, but didn't. How is any of this JKs fault. People will say he refused to play his role. Well let me remind y'all when Wiggins was out, JK played the exact role he was asked to play, played really well, the warriors were winning and got to the 6th seed, then Wiggins returned just before the playoffs and JK got relegated back to DNPs. So yes if I'm JK at that point,I'm not listening to your play your role rhetoric anymore. Now contract time comes JK sees people around the same level as him getting 30mil and above and the warriors are low-balling him so he decides to bet on himself. By the way he is losing nothing now because the same contract between 20-25mil that the warriors offered last year is in the same ball park to what he's getting this year so JK really didn't lose anything. This is the only time JK has a chance to take his destiny into his own hands after 4 years. JK is from the Congo guys. He's already very rich and will probably still make over 100mil in his career no matter what cos he's that talented. His generations are set already. So he is either going to accept a trade to a team he wants to go to, or he is going to take the QO and be a free agent next year so he can go to a team that believes in him. He's not going to take a low deal with the warriors just to get traded to another team he doesn't want to be on. The warriors have screwed this up from the start and deserve the low offers we are getting now

Sensible Gooner

the WNBA being elevated did put a spotlight on alot of weirdo shit its lowkey working tho it makes the actual games more entertaining

3 Davis

I could not disagree more. 1)JK doesn't have to have a big personality for it to be a distraction. Every single city they visit, the press will be asking every single player about Jonathan Kuminga. It'll be kind of like KD's last year--he hadn't signed an extension, and it became a major distraction. The KD team still had the talent to make the finals despite that. This team wouldn't make the play-in. 2)Steve Kerr may be a charmer, but the spell has been broken. When you bench a player in the biggest games of the year, during a contract year, and then go public with basically "He's not good enough to even use as a substitute when Steph and/or JimmyB sit," there is not enough charm in the world to come back from that. Because you are not just making a mess of the year, you are negatively affecting their earning power and the trajectory of their career. No player would want to have a single minute more needing that coach to put them in the game.

Point Gawd

Damn, those new ICE agents deployed quick, smh

Ejikeme Uzoigwe

Seth makes a lot more sense to me if you have to include Buddy in a trade, possibly in-season. As for Melton, Otto Porter’s injury history makes De’Anthony look like an ironman and the hope has to be something similar in terms of catching lightning in a bottle and having him fit for a playoff run. There is an issue developing with our roster given our incumbent players (Podz, Moody, Buddy, Richard), potentially returning players (Melton, maybe GP2 and/or Seth) and even some of the players linked as part of a JK trade (Ayo, Ellis, Monk, Allen), which is that they’re almost all SGs that can’t play PG and mostly don’t have great positional size. Brogdon would at least offer more playmaking, but the trade off is even more age/injury concerns! All that is to say that I think we might be better off compromising on a 2+1 (PO) and keeping JK for now, having him eat regular season minutes alongside a stretch 5 and including his full salary in a trade down the line. It’s not going to be as uncomfortable as when we kept Poole 😅

Stephen Jones

Love this content! Wonder, are you an immigrant? How did you work on your accent I still sound like a FOB

Shachar Sharon

“My brother” this… 😂😂

Ejikeme Uzoigwe

Alch, assuming there was no 30 mill offer last offseason then I think JK's camp played this pretty well. If the goal was to get away from Kerr and actually get a chance then they've forced the dubs into a position where JK's worst case (playing this year for the QO) isn't an option for the dubs. So they trade him for pennies on the dollar or give him a contract that he'll be fine with ($25/yr+).

Jordan Smith

These comments make no sense. How is he being arrogant? He is a top 10 pick who is being asked to be Shawn Marion before ever getting a chance to prove he can be Kobe. Being given a chance to prove what you can do is completely reasonable for a top 10 pick. It's the dubs who are being delusional by thinking a top 10 pick would be fine with that. JK is in a great spot right now and is pretty much forcing the dubs to accept losing him for nothing (not an option) or allowing him to leave for pennies on the dollar. The JK hate should be turned towards Kerr and Lacob for not getting on the same page for 4 years. I agree with Kerr in all of this but I can't see how you put blame on a 22 year old for not doing what's best for you instead of what's best for him.

Jordan Smith

The writing is on the wall, I think we’re completely cooked. Deep fried lol this roster is horrible compared to the rest of the west. So, my mindset is now fully just hoping Steph stays healthy and can have as many vintage performances as possible, for us to enjoy.

Ford Carlson

I think people are overstating the extent to which this is beyond repair. The Warriors have no reason whatsoever to take a lackluster deal just because they might have an unhappy JK in the locker room. 1) He doesn’t have that type of big personality that’s gonna cause drama. The team was happy to go into the playoffs with him benched. They either knew that he was gonna be professional or, if he wasn’t, it wasn’t gonna matter to the rest of the team. So - even in the absolute worst case scenario - I don’t think they’d afraid of starting the next season the same way. 2) Far more importantly, Steve Kerr is an elite level charmer. When he starts telling JK all the things, the defenses will come down. And when JK gets that caller ID saying “30” it’ll be over. I don’t know what the Warriors are gonna do, but I really doubt they’re tripping over the toxicity of bringing him back.

Ejikeme Uzoigwe

🙏🏽

Athletic Alchemy

Earlier this year, I had a chance to have a private convo with a current NBA GM at an alumni event (not MDJ). When I asked what was the most annoying thing about NBA media his *immediate* response: “Hearing you turned down deals that never existed. There are so many times where you read about deals and are like, ‘are you kidding me? I would’ve taken that in a heartbeat!’”

Ejikeme Uzoigwe

Gotta get em all

Ejikeme Uzoigwe

About WNBA and the money difference compared to the NBA. Officiating is worse, coaching is generally worse, scouting is worse, players are not as supported and some have to play two seasons in a year. It effects decisions differently than when it's thousands of dollars compared to millions at stake.

Jon Cortelyou

Glad you got to see your pops!

Nathan Glanzer

Seth?!?! Another undersized guard?! 🫣

John Jota Leaños

At some point Kuminga needs understand reality and swallow his dang pride, like confidence is a great thing but arrogance makes you delusional

KuraiT

Unc you sure you want to send JK to the Suns and have us facing Booker Green Brooks JK and Mark Williams?? Idk about that one Unc 🤣.. but we def are out of options..

Ballin Forever

Let’s blame Draymond. Cause we can. He’s the one who pushed for drafting JK and now takes his minutes.

SAOpp

noti alch thanks for all the great content! you are genuinely are hilarious

itsRetire


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