Jimmy Butler is already putting his stamp on the Warriors. According to Shams Charania, the veteran forward organized a team mini-camp in San Diego this week to bring everyone together ahead of training camp. It marked the first full offseason with Butler alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, but not everyone was in attendance. Restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga was the only player who skipped the function as his contract standoff with the team continues.
“Jimmy Butler is actually holding a team function, a team mini-camp in San Diego this week,” said Shams on NBA Today. “This is the first full year of Curry, Green, and Butler all together. The only player who is not there is restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. My understanding is he is not appearing at this team function and is still at a stalemate.”
As the new NBA season approaches, teams across the league have begun preparations. For the Warriors, that means a players-only mini camp hosted by Butler to set the stage for a highly competitive season.
The 2025-26 campaign will be the first full run with the new “big three,” and the pressure is on for them to meet expectations. With the core aging and new threats rising, the championship window is narrow for this Warriors crew.
That’s why they need Jonathan Kuminga more than ever. At 22 years old, he’s essential for their future and a key contributor on the wing. With averages of 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game last season, he provides a steady boost in the rotation that the Warriors have no easy way of replacing.
The problem is that Kuminga is a restricted free agent in active negotiations on a new deal. The young swingman is reportedly seeking roughly $30 million per year, but the real issue is with his player option.
So far, the Warriors are only willing to give a team option to Kuminga, and that’s something he’s not willing to settle for. He feels he’s earned the power to control his NBA future and doesn’t want to play for a team that refuses to trust in his potential.
No matter how this saga ends, the damage may already be done. Kuminga’s absence from the mini-camp is a missed opportunity to develop chemistry and rapport with his teammates that he’ll never get back. What’s worse is that he stands to miss even more if this stalemate goes on for much longer.
There are still a few weeks to decide before the deadline arrives, but Kuminga is clearly not on good terms with the Warriors right now, and it threatens to destabilize everything they’ve built.
Ultimately, the Warriors need everyone on the same page if they are going to make a serious run this season, but Kuminga’s absence is a cloud hanging over the team. Butler, Curry, and Draymond are locked in and ready to go, while Kuminga’s future is still up in the air. The longer this standoff drags on, the harder it will be for Golden State to stay focused on chasing another championship.
