NBA Exec Says Warriors Are 'F--ked' If Jonathan Kuminga Signs Qualifying Offer
Even though the Golden State Warriors getting Jonathan Kuminga to sign the qualifying offer could be seen as a good thing if it happens since it's a cheap one-year deal, at least one NBA executive thinks it would be a disastrous result for the team.
Per The Athletic's Fred Katz, the executive explained the Warriors are "f--ked" if Kuminga were to take the qualifying offer.
"If he takes the qualifying offer, the Warriors are f--ked from a team-building standpoint, because they need to get him on a deal where they can trade him," the executive said. "That’s the key for them."
The qualifying offer is worth $7.9 million next season if Kuminga takes it, but there doesn't appear to be any end in sight for his restricted free agency. He told ESPN's Shams Charania on Thursday he's in no rush to sign a deal amid recent talks with the Warriors.
Restricted free agency has been rough for many players this summer. Kuminga, Josh Giddey, Quentin Grimes and Cam Thomas are all waiting to get new deals. One thing those players have in common is trying to gauge their value because of the ups and downs throughout their careers.
Charania noted Kuminga's camp is still exploring sign-and-trade deals for the 22-year-old, with the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings having shown interest in him.
If the Warriors' intent is to sign Kuminga so they can trade him, the qualifying offer does make that difficult because his salary would be so low that it would be virtually impossible to use him as the main piece for contract-matching purposes.
Golden State doesn't currently have that second-tier level contract to move, unless it wants to use Draymond Green's $25.9 million salary. Given how valuable he is to what the team wants to do, that's likely a non-starter.
Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler are the two highest-paid players on the Warriors with a combined salary of $113.7 million in 2025-26. After Green, Moses Moody is the only other player on the roster making more than $10 million.
Even though Kuminga and Warriors head coach Steve Kerr have frequently butted heads, he's still at an age where there's enough upside to give him positive value in a potential trade for a team that doesn't have a lot of long-term assets on its roster.
Kuminga, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 draft, averaged 15.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in 47 games last season.
