Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors Reportedly Aren't Close on Contract amid Heat, Bulls Rumors

The Golden State Warriors reportedly have "generated no real traction toward a deal with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga in recent days and, as anticipated, he is expected to explore the market when it opens at 3 p.m. PT on Monday afternoon," according to The Athletic's Anthony Slater.

Per that report, the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls are the "two likeliest outside suitors."

NBA reporters Marc Stein and Jake Fischer added that negotiations were expected to be a "slowing-moving process in Golden State," and that the Heat, Bulls, Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans were "looming as potential suitors by way of possible sign-and-trade scenarios. Golden State would be willing to help facilitate a move for Kuminga to join a new team, but only if such a transaction were to outweigh the benefits of keeping Kuminga on their roster."

A slow resolution isn't exactly ideal, given that Kuminga's $22.9 million cap hold is currently taking up a chunk of the team's payroll. The Dubs have other needs to address, with Slater reporting that "team sources have identified a stretch center as a high priority" alongside other veteran additions around the trio of Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green.

On paper, Kuminga looks like a player the Warriors should be keeping. He's a long and athletic wing who is only 22 and averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game this past season, shooting 45.4 percent from the field.

But Kuminga fell out of the rotation late in the regular season and only played three games in the team's first-round matchup against the Houston Rockets, a series that went seven games, in a large part because he didn't prove to be a great fit next to Butler (Kuminga did miss one game due to migraines).

He was a bigger factor in the second round, averaging 20.8 points in 27.4 minutes per game off the bench. But the Warriors needed more scoring punch with Curry and Butler suffering injuries in the series, hence Kuminga's increased role.

If the young wing improved his shooting (33.2 percent from three for his career, 30.5 percent last season) his fit next to Butler and Green would improve immensely. And ultimately, banking on him taking a step forward in that regard would make sense for the Warriors, given his age.

Even with his fit issues, having a spark plug off the bench isn't a bad option for a team like the Warriors. How much they are willing to pay for a player in that role, and how much other teams might offer, remains to be seen, but giving up athletically explosive wings in their early 20s—who have proven they can put the ball through the hoop—generally isn't great business barring an impressive return in sign-and-trade offers.