Due to the current stalemate between the Golden State Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga, the talented forward may soon be forced to accept a bargain-rate qualifying offer this summer.
Kuminga entered the offseason as one of the more intriguing talents in free agency. He’s only 22 years old and with four years of NBA experience under his belt. And while he has been a bit of a headache for coach Steve Kerr, he has shown his high upside if put into a featured role elsewhere. However, there was always one problem: He is a restricted free agent.
According to NBA insider Jake Fisher, the Warriors are only willing to offer a two-year deal worth $45 million, which includes a team option for the second year, and does not require his consent if they try and trade him before February’s deadline.
While the Phoenix Suns allegedly would give him the four-year, $90 million pact he wants, they need the Warriors to make that happen via a sign-and-trade. Golden State is not interested in what the Suns have to offer. The only team with the money to force the Warriors to decide if they will match a contract or not is the Brooklyn Nets. And they are not targeting the forward.
Jonathan Kuminga stats (2024-25): 15.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.2 APG, 30% 3PT
Could Jonathan Kuminga end up taking the Golden State Warriors’ qualifying offer?
It has put the youngster in a tough position. He could take what Golden State has offered, but Fischer reports he and his agent are confident that the Warriors would just end up trading him early next year. Or he could hope they bend and give him terms he prefers. However, there is also a difficult third option that is becoming more appealing as discussions drag on.
“Kuminga’s only recourse at this stage might be accepting his one-year, $8 million qualifying offer, which expires Oct. 1. It’s his lone pathway to control over his future, since it would enable him to become an unrestricted free agent on June 30, 2026. It would certainly be a gamble on Kuminga’s side, but it potentially would be even more dangerous for the Warriors, who would then face the prospect of losing him for nothing after this season.”
Jake Fischer
The Warriors seem unlikely to budge much from their current position. Making matters worse is that the market for him in free agency is nonexistent. And the trade front offers a great deal of complications as well. Sure, Golden State could lose him for nothing next summer. But Kuminga accepting his qualifying offer could be best for both sides in the short and long term.
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After earning his journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos served as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sucka ... More about Jason Burgos