Jonathan Kuminga Defended by Brandin Podziemski amid NBA Rumors on Warriors Contract
The impasse between the Golden State Warriors and forward Jonathan Kuminga doesn't appear close to a resolution, but he still has the support of his teammates.
During a radio appearance on 95.7 The Game's "Willard and Dibs" on Wednesday, Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski addressed the uncertainty over Kuminga's future with Golden State and said the players want the 22-year-old wing to remain in the fold.
"Obviously, everybody on our team knows it's the media's job to try to nitpick and find things to write and talk about and separate teammates so they have a story to write," Podziemski told Mark Willard and Dan Dibley (h/t Joaquin Ruiz of NBC Sports Bay Area). "Like, we all know that's how it works; especially the guys who have been around it for 10 to 15 years, they know how it works. Everybody in the locker room knows no matter how that situation's resolved, it doesn't change our viewpoint of JK as a person [and] as a player. Obviously, we all want him to be in Golden State; that's the whole point. But it doesn't change anything."
Kuminga is a restricted free agent after receiving a $7.9 million qualifying offer earlier this offseason. Brett Siegel of Clutch Points reported that the Warriors "don't want to exceed their two-year, $45 million offer" that is currently on the table for the 2021 No. 7 pick. A sign-and-trade also no longer appears to be a possibility.
"Kuminga is essentially left with two options at this point," Siegel wrote. "He can either accept Golden State's offer on the table, which doesn't appear to be changing at the moment, or accept his qualifying offer."
The delay in Kuminga's deal has stopped Golden State from making any other moves this offseason, so it would be best for both sides to resolve this situation quickly. Podziemski added that he and his teammates aren't letting this affect their preparation for the 2025-26 campaign.
"The media is going to portray it one way to try and make people think differently of it," Podziemski told Willard and Dibley. "But it doesn't change my perspective. I know all I can control is being the best version of Brandin Podziemski that I can be going into my third year, and everything else is going to fall how it may."
