Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga, Steve Kerr's Relationship Reportedly 'Isn't a Problem'
The Golden State Warriors are reportedly still working to solve the contract dispute with forward Jonathan Kuminga, and there's a bit more clarity regarding the situation.
ESPN's Anthony Slater and Shams Charania reported that Kuminga's personal relationship with Warriors head coach Steve Kerr "isn't a problem," and sources said that the messaging from Kerr and the Warriors is that Kuminga "would have a substantial role to open next season."
While Kuminga and Kerr are reportedly fine on a personal level, there are still questions about their basketball relationship. Slater and Charania reported that during contract negotiations, Kuminga's side "has regularly referred to some postseason comments where Kerr highlighted the difficulty of fitting Kuminga next to [Stephen] Curry, [Jimmy] Butler and [Draymond] Green for heavy minutes and expecting to win at the highest level." Those comments reportedly served as "proof to them that the basketball fit is less than ideal for the trajectory of Kuminga's career."
Kuminga has long been resistant to the Warriors' two-year, $45 million contract offer, and he has an Oct. 1 deadline to make a decision on the $7.9 million qualifying offer for the 2025-26 season.
Slater and Charania reported that the Phoenix Suns (four years, $80 to $88 million) and the Sacramento Kings (three years, $63 to $66 million) presented offers to Kuminga, and sources said they "have attached player options to their proposed deals and pitched the starting power forward job." Golden State has refused to include a player option in its contract offers, and the starting power forward job belongs to Green, so the 22-year-old "wouldn't get the 30 minutes per night consistently and the starting and closing role he desperately craves."
The Warriors have yet to make any offseason moves while trying to solve their impasse with Kuminga, so it would be best for both sides to figure things out quickly as the start of the 2025-26 season draws nearer.
