Jonathan Kuminga’s contract drama is finally over. According to Shams Charania, the 22-year-old forward has agreed to a two-year, $48.5 million deal with the Golden State Warriors, ending a summer-long standoff that had left his future in limbo. The contract includes a team option and is designed to be ripped up and renegotiated as soon as next summer.
“Ending a summerlong stalemate, restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga has agreed to a two-year, $48.5 million deal to return to the Golden State Warriors, agent Aaron Turner of Verus Basketball told ESPN on Tuesday,” wrote Charania.
The Warriors have been in a tense standoff with Kuminga since the beginning of the summer. Initially, he was seeking a multi-year deal with a player option but he had to concede for a team option that adds another layer uncertainty to his future.
“The deal includes a team option in the second year that is designed for the Warriors, or another team if and when Kuminga is traded during the upcoming season, to rip up and complete a fresh new contract after the 2025-26 campaign,” added Shams.
The Golden State Warriors are fresh off an appearance in the Western Semis, and they have big ambitions for this season with Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green. With the new campaign just weeks away, preparations have already begun on building up the team, but Kuminga has been M.I.A so far as he awaits a new contract.
Kuminga, 22, was one of several free agent hold outs this summer, including Cam Thomas and Josh Giddey. He was the last one to strike a deal, but the effects of his free agency will linger throughout the season. More than any of his peers, Kuminga felt disrespected by his team for not valuing him like he believes they should and it led to a brutal standoff that raised eyebrows across the league.
Besides the contract negotiations this summer, Kuminga was also slighted in the rotation last season as his role fluctuated through the months. By the time the playoffs began, Kuminga was on sour terms with Steve Kerr for restricting his minutes and publicly calling him out on mistakes.
On a team full of win-now veterans with no patience to develop young talent, Kuminga lost faith that the Warriors could bring out his best game and argued that they are actively holding back his development. This offseason, he began to dream of greener pastures, away from the Warriors and toward a team like the Kings who are on a different timeline. Now, while Kuminga is locked in for the next two years, he’s expected to be a primary trade target until he lands with a new team. As a young two-way swingman, he’s arguably the Warriors’ best asset, and he’s made it clear he’d rather not stick around.
Ultimately, the Warriors may have resolved Kuminga’s contract dispute, but the story is far from over. With a team option built into the deal, his future in Golden State remains uncertain, and trade rumors are bound to follow him throughout the season. For now, though, the Warriors have their young forward back in the mix, and whether he thrives alongside Curry, Butler, and Draymond or ends up elsewhere, this saga is only just beginning.
