NBA Restricted Free Agency Standoffs: Latest on Josh Giddey, Quentin Grimes, Jonathan Kuminga, Cam Thomas

August 5, 2025

Josh Giddey, Bulls, Quentin Grimes, 76ers, NBA — Imagn

Restricted free agency has never been easy, and this NBA summer is proving that again. All four key names remain unsigned: Josh Giddey (Chicago Bulls), Quentin Grimes (Philadelphia 76ers), Jonathan Kuminga (Golden State Warriors), and Cam Thomas (Brooklyn Nets).

More than a month into free agency, there’s been little movement with any of them.

One major issue is market conditions. Only three teams operated with cap space this summer. Brooklyn still has space but hasn’t used it. Milwaukee used theirs to sign Myles Turner. Memphis used its space to renegotiate and extend Jaren Jackson Jr. That left few paths for offer sheets, which are rare to begin with.

Sign-and-trade discussions have come up, but those are often tough to pull off. The incumbent team, the acquiring team, and the player all need to agree. That’s rarely easy.

Giddey and the Bulls seem like the likeliest pairing to continue. They’re said to be apart on years and money, but not so far that a deal can’t get done. There’s no sense of urgency from either side, but the expectation is still that Giddey will be back in Chicago long term.

Things are quieter with Grimes and the Sixers. Reports early in the summer said Grimes was targeting $20–25 million annually. The Sixers reportedly offered closer to $15 million. That gap hasn’t closed.

Matching a higher deal would push Philadelphia over the second apron, so there’s added pressure on the front office to keep costs down. Unless someone budges, this could stretch on well into the fall.

In Brooklyn, Thomas may be headed for the qualifying offer. The Nets have plenty of cap space, but with no other bidders, they don’t have a reason to offer Thomas a big number. Thomas believes in his value and has improved in key areas, but the “empty calories” label still lingers unfairly.

Signing the $5.9 million qualifying offer would allow him to hit unrestricted free agency next summer, and give him a one-year no-trade clause in the meantime. If no deal comes soon, that’s starting to look like the smart move.

Kuminga’s situation is the most complicated. There’s interest from teams like Sacramento in a potential sign-and-trade. That would trigger base year compensation restrictions, but it’s workable. Golden State doesn’t seem eager to lose Kuminga but also hasn’t offered a long-term deal.

The Warriors have pushed short-term options, but want Kuminga to waive his implied no-trade clause. So far, he has declined. That would effectively be agreeing to a delayed sign-and-trade with no say in the destination. The qualifying offer hasn’t been discussed much yet, but that could change. If things drag into camp, Kuminga may decide to play it out and take his chances next summer.

As of now, none of the four has a clear resolution in sight. And with the restricted free agency system stacked in favor of teams, that may not change anytime soon.