The Golden State Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga continue to sit around a negotiating table, sipping sparkling water and pretending to be on their phones instead of actually talking to one another. From ESPN:
"The latest offer from the Warriors, according to ESPN, is two years, $45 million, up from the two years, $40 million reported by Marc Stein over the weekend."
The holdup, and the reason Kuminga reportedly declined the offer, is that it contained a second-year team option for Golden State and a demand that he waive the no-trade clause that comes implicitly with such an offer under the CBA.
This situation is pretty complicated for several reasons.
1. Jonathan Kuminga is simply not that good
- There’s a reason his production wasn’t enough to earn minutes or trust from the coaching staff.
- Can you really make serious demands for big money if your team did not feel you were playable for much of the back half of the season or playoffs?
- The biggest issue — for the Warriors — is that Kuminga’s north-south style does not fit next to Steph Curry.
- The Warriors were better with Kuminga and Curry on-court together than either one individually
- But when they struggled, they really struggled, and Kuminga and Curry had little chemistry
2. The market is bone dry
- Usually, when there’s a restricted free agency squeeze like this, some team comes along and takes a shot at prying him loose, even if they expect the home team to match it.
- But there’s no money available at this point in free agency, and on top of that, apron concerns have given teams good reason not to make moves to create such space.
- The market is probably much better in 2026, however, which means that while Kuminga could benefit from being a free agent that season, if the Warriors decline his team option for the second season, it’s probably because the season went badly for him or he was hurt, which means his value is lower.
3. The Warriors want their Cakeminga and to eat it too
- The Warriors don’t want to have to pay him, play him, or keep him.
- They also don’t want to just lose him.
- So they want a big money offer from another team for a player they themselves have made clear they don’t value that much, along with a sizable sign-and-trade return for him.
So what should be done?
Everyone needs to lower expectations and demands. That’s what a compromise is.
Kuminga’s future earnings with the Warriors are compromised by his role on the team and how the coaching staff feels about his game.
The Warriors’ best chances of winning a title before Steph Curry retires are compromised by Kuminga’s game and managing his value as an asset.
But both sides are holding up two masks.
The Warriors want to win now and don’t want to guarantee him minutes/usage/role or the money which would ensure that, but they also don’t want to trade him unless it is worth it to them.
Kuminga wants to be paid like a big-name young star on a multi-year, fully guaranteed deal, but hasn’t contributed what the only team that can offer him that needs.
In general, I’d like to posit this question...
Is Jonathan Kuminga, or this version of the Warriors, really worth this amount of ink over a decision that may not ultimately move the needle for either one?