Warriors rumors: Fork in the road, CP3 debut, retire KD's number?

Warriors Rumors: Contract deadline looms for Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody

Monday was the extension deadline for NBA players entering the fourth year of their rookie contracts. It was an uneventful day for the Golden State Warriors, but next October promises to hold far more importance for the franchise. That is when Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody — the No. 7 and 14 picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, respectively — become eligible for their rookie-scale extensions.

This season will therefore be critical to determining the course of the franchise for years to come. Kuminga has publicly bumped on his inconsistent playing time under Steve Kerr. The Warriors remain committed to contention, which can lead to role instability for young players who, despite obvious potential, are prone to mistakes less common among older players.

Kuminga was a flat-out stud in preseason and he is expected to handle a sturdier workload in 2023-24. The arrival of Chris Paul is a potential benefit for Kuminga, who will not only score off plenty of CP3 dimes, but who could benefit from the mentorship and corporate knowledge Paul supplies. We saw Deandre Ayton take a serious fundamental leap following Paul's arrival in Phoenix. The Warriors will hope for a similar jump with Kuminga.

Kuminga continues to tease the star upside that made him a lottery pick years ago. At 6-foot-9, he's a completely bonkers athlete with uncommon strength and explosiveness on drives to the cup. If he can get more comfortable operating as a screener while boosting the ancillary attributes of his skill set, the leap will come — and the Warriors will have no choice but to play him more.

He was on the floor for 20 minutes in Golden State's opening night loss to Phoenix. Notably, he closed the game over Andrew Wiggins. Moses Moody, who has already emerged as a reliable 3-and-D weapon despite a similar minutes crunch, put together 11 points and three rebounds in 18 minutes.

Both players have the talent to warrant long-term investment, but the Warriors are already paying significant money to Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins. Klay Thompson is expected to enter free agency in 2024 and could command a lengthy, lucrative deal. As Golden State struggles to balance its cap sheet, there's a very real chance Kuminga and Moody end up testing the restricted free agent market. A ton of interested suitors would come knocking.