Jonathan Kuminga was an integral part of the Golden State Warriors for the past four seasons. Last season, he played only 47 games due to injuries, but still averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists.
This offseason, the 22-year-old power forward’s contract has become a massive talking point for the Warriors. Now the media is after his teammates, trying to understand exactly what is going on with his contract negotiations.
Another 22-year-old on the Warriors, Brandin Podziemski, was asked about the situation, and he was very upfront about the team’s take on Kuminga’s situation.
“No matter how [Kuminga]’s situation is resolved, it doesn’t change how we view JK as a person, as a player. Obviously, we all want him to be in the Golden State. It doesn’t change anything.” Podziemski said on a recent radio interview with 95.7 The Game’s Willard and Dibs.
Earlier this month, reports suggested that the Warriors offered a 2-year, $45 million contract, but Kuminga’s side rejected it. It was the fine print that made the 6-foot-8 power forward turn down the offer because the Warriors wanted him to waive off the no-trade clause that would’ve kicked in since the deal came with a team option for the second year of the contract.
Kuminga was not looking to hand over the control of his career in the hands of the Warriors. It is also believed that he is now looking for a fresh start and does not see himself developing to his full potential with the Warriors.
The Sacramento Kings reportedly showed a lot of interest in trading for Kuminga, but according to the Warriors, they aren’t getting the requisite value from that deal as the 22-year-old power forward has a massive career ahead of him.
Last year, after Kuminga went down in January with a right ankle sprain, the Warriors quickly brought in Jimmy Butler to fill the gaping hole. Kuminga was sidelined for 31 games after that, and when he came back, he still had to play restricted minutes due to the veteran being on the court. All of this could’ve contributed to the current standoff between the Warriors and the 22-year-old power forward.
Podziemski also talked about the impact the media chatter has had on the locker room and how everyone understands that they are just trying to do their job, but at the same time, they cannot be affected by the noise.
“Obviously, everybody on our team knows it’s the media’s job to try to nitpick and find things to write and talk about and separate teammates so they have a story to write… Like, we all know that’s how it works; especially the guys who have been around it for 10 to 15 years, they know how it works.” Podziemski added.
Kuminga has shown in his career that when his usage and minutes have gone up, so has his production. During the 2023-24 season for the Warriors, he averaged 26.3 minutes per game, and he also posted a career-high season average of 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists.
Before that, he was getting close to 20 minutes of playing time, which restricted his scoring to 9.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. With Butler still on the roster and still a key contributor to the Warriors’ offense, Kuminga could be skeptical about where the playing time for him will come from and what his position in the rotation will look like.
With these worries, looking for a fresh start with an upcoming franchise like the Kings does not seem like a bad option. But will the Warriors let him go without getting the requisite value? Let us know what you think in the comments section.
