Jonathan Kuminga Reportedly Won't Be Traded by Warriors Amid NBA Contract Rumors
Jonathan Kuminga reportedly isn't going anywhere this offseason.
Per the San Francisco Standard's Tim Kawakami, the Golden State Warriors don't plan to trade Kuminga this summer and he'll be on the team's roster to star the season. Kawakami noted that Kuminga's pathways back to the Warriors are to accept the team's offer or to take the $7.9 million qualifying offer that Golden State extended to him.
For much of the offseason, it appeared Kuminga could be on his way out of Golden State via a sign-and-trade, though The Athletic's Fred Katz reported last week that sign-and-trade talks hadn't "gained any traction."
As far as an offer from the Warriors, Kuminga reportedly hasn't gotten one that he likes just yet. ESPN's Shams Charania and Anthony Slater reported last week that Kuminga "is continuing to decline their two-year, $45 million contract offer," noting he has received offers of four years and approximately $90 million from other teams. According to Charania and Slater, the potential two-year deal including a team option has made Kuminga hesitant to sign it.
"This continued stalemate is largely about control, and the option dispute is at the crux of it," per ESPN. "Kuminga believes accepting the Warriors' two-year offer with a team option, along with forfeiting trade veto rights, cedes too much control to a franchise he believes has stunted and strung his career along for four seasons, sources said."
Kuminga, still just 22 years old, likely would have already been signed if he were an unrestricted free agent, but his restricted free agent status has complicated things. Because he is a restricted free agent, the Warriors have the chance to match any offer sheet he receives from another team, thus making a sign-and-trade the most likely way out of Golden State for him.
But the Warriors seemingly haven't received a trade offer they like, and it appears Kuminga will stay put this offseason.
Now, it's a matter of Kuminga and Golden State agreeing to a deal.
Kuminga has shown flashes of potential early in his career, averaging 15.3 points per game a season ago, but he's still far from star status. The best option for Kuminga might be to sign a short-term deal this season and prove he's worth a more lucrative contract in the future.
