Jonathan Kuminga Won't Sign Warriors' Current Contract Offers Amid Suns, Kings Rumors
As the "staring contest" between the Golden State Warriors and restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga continues to drag on, there doesn't appear to be an end in sight despite interest from multiple other clubs.
ESPN's Shams Charania described the situation as such and said it "could continue much longer than this month" since Kuminga isn't interested in Golden State's offers.
"He did tell me though that he is in absolutely no rush on doing a deal with the Warriors right now and he is not accepting their current offers," he said. "He added that he wants to continue to explore options. … Whether that's continuing conversations with the Warriors, but also sign-and-trade options that are available to him in the marketplace."
Charania listed the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings as "two of the more aggressive teams" that have made "concrete offers." According to ESPN's Anthony Slater, Kuminga "is in search of a more guaranteed, consistent starting role and featured opportunity," which has been pitched to him by both the Suns and Kings.
That Phoenix and Sacramento are the teams to offer is notable because they could give Kuminga a starting role that Charania reported "he wants more than anything."
However, Charania also reported the Warriors are not interested in what has been offered in sign-and-trades to this point. According to Brett Siegel of Clutch Points, the Kings "have signaled that they are willing to part ways with talents like Devin Carter, Dario Saric, and a protected first-round pick" in exchange for Kuminga.
However, Siegel added that the package is something "Golden State has not given any thought to and immediately turned down."
"Keegan Murray and Keon Ellis are two players the Warriors would likely want in a potential sign-and-trade with their in-division rivals," Siegel wrote. "However, the Kings have given zero indications that they will part ways with either player, especially given the notion that Kuminga wants out."
That is unfortunate for Kuminga because a sign-and-trade is likely the only way he is leaving Golden State this offseason.
After all, the Brooklyn Nets and Utah Jazz are the only teams with positive cap space in the NBA as of Thursday. If a number of teams had significant cap space, there could be something of a bidding war to give Kuminga a massive offer sheet that the Warriors would then have to decide to match or not.
Yet the lack of financial flexibility around the league means the restricted free agents this offseason are largely forced into sign-and-trade situations if they are going to leave their current clubs.
Golden State extended the $7.9 million qualifying offer to Kuminga earlier this offseason, but it also doesn't seem to be in a big hurry to give him any type of head-turning extension.
"We're trying to be responsible," a Warriors front office executive said, per Keith Smith of Spotrac. "With the aprons and hard caps and all of that, you can't just throw money around. We still love Jonathan. We're hopeful we can figure out a way to strike a balance that works for him and for us. But we're not going to compromise our roster-building ability now, or in the future. We have to be responsible in the way we build our team."
Kuminga is just 22 years old and has flashed his potential at times, which would surely be appealing to a team in rebuilding mode like the Suns. Perhaps a larger role than the one Golden State can offer would help him unleash his overall talent.
The Warriors don't want to lose that potential for little in an uninspiring sign-and-trade, though, even if he has bounced in and out of their rotation at times and doesn't fit in the same timeline as a veteran-laden squad with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler leading the way.
The end result has been a situation that continues to drag on well into the offseason even if other teams would like to take him off Golden State's hands.
