It’s September now, and the offseason is nearly over, but Golden State Warriors swingman Jonathan Kuminga remains without a deal. According to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson, the two sides have made little progress on ending the ongoing standoff, with Kuminga favoring the qualifying offer that will make him a free agent in 2026.
“NBA training camp is in four weeks, and the Oct. 1 deadline for Kuminga to accept the qualifying offer is under a month away,” wrote Johnson. “So, where are the two sides? Still miles apart, it appears. The one-year, $7.9 million qualifying offer remains the most attractive offer to Kuminga at the moment.”
While Jonathan reportedly wants to get paid roughly $30 million per year, the biggest holdup right now is what to do with the second year of the deal. Kuminga insists on a player option, but the Warriors remain firm on a team option for the 22-year-old forward.
“The Warriors have offered a two-year contract worth roughly $45 million, but are holding strong to a team option for the second year, while Kuminga and his camp have made it clear they want a player option for year two,” Johnson added.
This saga has been going on since July, but the issues actually trace back to earlier than that. Drafted seventh overall in 2021, Kuminga was supposed to be a centerpiece of the Warriors’ next generation, along with guys like Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, and Quinten Post. Alongside Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson, he won the title in 2022 and gained valuable championship experience.
Unfortunately for Kuminga, he still has much to prove, and he hasn’t yet earned the trust of Steve Kerr. As a team with big expectations every season, Kerr did not have the patience to let Kuminga learn from his mistakes, which led to public condemnation, DNPs, and added friction between the coach and player.
Following a breakout 2023-24 campaign, Kuminga regressed last season, seeing his role and minutes dip. In his fourth season, his performance declined with averages of 15.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game on 45.4% shooting. With Jimmy Butler now in the fold, Kuminga’s value has been reduced even further, and he believes it has limited his development.
Combined with the Warriors’ insistence on a team option for his next contract, it was enough for Kuminga to decide he wasn’t going to re-sign. The result has been a months-long stalemate with no end in sight, and it’s now threatening to bleed over into the new season.
Besides potential tension in the locker room, the situation has limited the Warriors’ moves this summer, specifically regarding veteran Al Horford. He has been waiting to sign his own contract until the Kuminga situation is over, but they may have to come to terms if something doesn’t happen soon.
At this point, there are doubts that Kuminga even wants to return to the Warriors, and this may just be his way of forcing himself out of a team he no longer wants to play for. Regardless, for a team that was on the cusp of contention last season, this development is the last thing they need.
In the final stretch of Stephen Curry’s career, the Warriors wanted to compete for a title and give him the ending he deserved. Instead, they risk losing one of their most talented young players for nothing in a standoff that has the entire league watching.
