I think you’re conflating a few things with what I’m saying.
From our POV, it doesn’t matter if he wants $30+ mil per year if we’re not going to offer it. Just because you want something it doesn’t mean you’re going to get it. And just because you could have taken a deal that would have you making $30 mil a year in the past doesn’t mean you will get that same deal today. What’s more important is what is Kuminga willing to accept, and by reading the tea leaves, I think he’s very much open to a $20 mil/year contract especially if it’s going to be on a team that will highlight him more (giving him a chance to have a bigger payday next time around).
The strongest rumors out there suggest that the offer is Saric, Carter, & 2nds and that the Warriors are not interested in Monk which I don’t blame them considering they have Curry, Moody, Podz, Hield, & Payton (if they bring him back) to take up all of their guard minutes. On top of creating a log jam at the guard spots, he’d push them above the 1st apron as well. Monk for them just doesn’t make sense which aligns with the rumors (check and check).
So again, going off all the information we have, the offer is very likely Saric + Carter which means we’re offering Kuminga a $83 mil over 4 year contract (way less than $30+ mil per year). And if Kuminga wasn’t interested in that contract, making the Saric + Carter offer is pointless. By all accounts, the holdup is on the Warriors side (not Kuminga’s side). If Kuminga was the holdup, the convo would go like this…
Perry: Hey Mr. Dunleavy, I hear you’re thinking about moving on from Kuminga? We can offer you Saric, Carter, & 2nds if you can help facilitate a sign & trade for a $83 mil/4 years contract?
Dunleavy: That works for us! Let me bring it to Kuminga to see if he will sign that contract
Perry: Sounds good! Let us know what he says.
Dunleavy: Bad news. He’s not wanting to sign for anything less than $30+ mil per year
From here, Perry could have two responses…
Response #1
Perry: Woah, that’s too expensive for our taste. Good luck with that! Let us know if he changes his mind and is willing to take a much lower contract amount.
Dunleavy: Sounds good. Will do.
Response #2
Perry: That’s pretty expensive and lowers Kuminga’s value to us. We can revise the offer to be Monk for Kuminga which would allow us to pay him the salary he desires. Does that work for you?
Dunleavy: No, Monk would push us above the 1st apron and that’s not really worth it considering we already have Curry, Moody, Podz, & Hield at guard. Not to mention we might bring back Payton as another guard. Doesn’t make sense for us to make that trade.
Perry: Got it. Well let us know if he changes his mind and is willing to take a much lower contract amount.
Dunleavy: Sounds good. Will do.
But again, the information we have does not suggest this is the situation. It suggests the Warriors are holding up the deal because they want more value for Kuminga (not that Kuminga isn’t willing to take anything less than $30+ mil/year).
It sounds like we have a STANDING OFFER of Saric, Carter, & 2nds for Kuminga. If Kuminga has already turned down a $83 mil contract and wants something not even remotely close to what we’re offering, why is there a standing offer? What’s the point in doing that when the two sides are not even remotely close to agreeing on the contract amount? That suggests to me that the Warriors are the ones holding up the deal and trying to figure out how to get more value or ultimately dip into the aprons and resign Kuminga.
