Here it comes! Officially ending the zero moves! The Warriors have made their first signing.

Pop the champagne, no longer zero.

The Warriors’ first transaction of this summer’s offseason is signing Taivon Kinsey...

Although the signing is of a lesser-known player, it carries great meaning, indicating that the front office has ended their break and begun their work.

This guy was born on March 10, 2000, is 25 years old, a 1.96m tall swingman who can play both forward and guard, went undrafted in 2023, and signed a two-way and 10-day contract with the Jazz in 2024. Over the last two seasons, he played 100 games for the Jazz’s G League team, the Salt Lake City Stars, averaging 31.6 minutes, 11.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game.

Once the situation with Kuminga’s future is settled, the NBA player market will see continuous news about Warriors signings. According to previous reports, 2024 Celtics champion big man Al Horford, 2023 Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon, and Melton are expected to bring their talents to Golden State.

There’s also Westbrook, but he’s unlikely to join the Warriors; most likely, he will go to the Kings. Multiple sources indicate that the Kings are actively trying to trade Monk to clear a roster spot for Westbrook. Previously, the Kings offered Monk plus a 2030 first-round pick (lottery protected) for Kuminga, but the Warriors demanded an unprotected first-round pick, causing the negotiations to stall.

It’s understandable that the Kings would give up 27-year-old Monk for 22-year-old Kuminga, but giving up Monk for 36-year-old Westbrook has left many puzzled.

Monk just had the best season of his career last year, averaging 17.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists, with shooting percentages of 43.9% and 32.5%. In both age and current capability, he is considerably better than Westbrook.

Unless the Kings are trying to save money—Westbrook might only require a veteran minimum contract for one year—Monk’s contract runs through the summer of 2028, with salaries of $18.8 million, $20.19 million, and $21.58 million over the next three seasons.

The news screenshot above also mentioned that if Westbrook successfully joins the Kings, he will mainly serve as Schroder’s backup and play the role of a super sixth man in the new season.

In any case, we hope Westbrook’s destination can be settled soon. The longer it drags on, the more uncertain it becomes, and there’s a risk he might end up unnoticed and forced into a quiet exit.