Jonathan Kuminga says he leaned on some of the NBA’s biggest stars for guidance during his contract standoff with the Warriors. Speaking with Andscape’s Marc Spears, the 21-year-old forward revealed that he reached out to Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler, among others, for advice on how to handle the pressure and uncertainty of the situation.
“I spoke to Buddy. I spoke to Draymond. I spoke to Jimmy. I spoke to Steph. All of them. I had 20-plus types of conversations about how contracts work, how to feel about certain things. They were teaching me certain things,” said Kuminga.
Over the summer, Jonathan Kuminga was engaged in a fierce standoff with the Golden State Warriors. He felt like he earned a lucrative contract, worth $30 million per year with a player option for the final season. Despite his best efforts, Kuminga had to concede his demands after agreeing on a new deal in October.
“We had a [players] team camp out there in San Diego. I did not go. That’s when I had to speak to Jimmy and tell him how things were going and that I couldn’t get there,” Kuminga added. ‘He’s one of the guys who really understands where I was coming from because he’s been through contract situations. Me and Steph had a long, long talk and I really appreciate that. Me and Draymond, obviously we always talk, but we had a long talk after he was coming back from China. They just gave me hope and patience for sure.”
The stalemate in San Francisco wasn’t just about money. In fact, Kuminga was more concerned with securing his future than maximizing his earnings. More than anything, he wanted control over his next contract and the option to become a free agent in 2026. Instead, his future is in the Warriors’ hands and the word on the street is that they might use him as trade bait for February’s deadline.
As Kuminga was fighting for his future, the Warriors’ core was stuck watching it all unfold. They did their part to end the standoff and get the team to give in on Kuminga’s demands, using their star status to pressure the front office. Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler even reached out directly to GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. but it did little to settle the issue.
While Kuminga has returned now, there is a sense that he’s feeling uneasy about his role. He refuses to approach Steve Kerr on the subject and has yet to announce his formal role in the rotation. Still, he has a chance to rewrite the narrative this season and prove his worth once and for all.
With the support of the “big three” Kuminga has learned some hard lessons and he’s ready to back up his self-confidence with dominant play on the court. If he can just stay focused and develop his game in several areas, it will go a long way toward finding his place on the team.
Kuminga’s story is far from finished. With the right mindset and the guidance of veterans who’ve been through it all, he has the blueprint to turn a frustrating summer into the best season of his career. For the Warriors, it could be the spark that helps them get back to their winning ways.
