Jonathan Kuminga's Camp Reportedly Views Warriors QO as 'Burning' the Relationship
As the contractual showdown between the Golden State Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga continues, the possibility that the restricted free agent could simply take his $8 million qualifying offer looms.
But it's a last resort move. As ESPN's Anthony Slater and Shams Charania reported Monday, "If he's on the qualifying offer, he would still plan to show up to training camp and be a part of this season's Warriors team, sources said, but their side views the qualifying offer route as an organizational burning of the long-term relationship. They would anticipate a clean split next summer, sources said, without motivation to let the Warriors recoup value unless necessary to get Kuminga where he would want to go."
The qualifying offer is probably the worst-case scenario from the organization's perspective. It would create the possibility of Kuminga leaving the team next summer without the Dubs receiving anything in return, and it would also give him a no-trade clause during the 2025-26 season. Plus, he wouldn't have Bird rights in a trade scenario, diminishing his value for any team interested in acquiring him via that route and extending him.
Granted, as Charania and Slater noted, it would keep the Warriors under the first apron, saving them "nearly $70 million in luxury tax money." The Warriors would still have his Bird rights and could revisit an extension or sign-and-trade next summer (though Kuminga would have to agree to either scenario, which seems unlikely).
In terms of extension talks, the Warriors want to attach a team option to the extension and want Kuminga to waive the no-trade clause. Kuminga has countered with the desire for a player option, with ESPN noting that he is "showing a willingness to dip down into the $20 million per year range for it, but believing a team option deal should cost around $30 million per year."
The player option, however, is a "nonstarter" for the Warriors.
Kuminga has also proposed playing on a more lucrative one-year deal than his qualifying offer, but the Warriors are resistant to it for the same reason they don't want the QO—it would create the possibility of Kuminga leaving without the Dubs receiving anything in return next summer. As the Dubs try to maximize Stephen Curry's remaining title window, losing a potential trade chip for nothing is hardly ideal.
Kuminga's actual basketball fit next to players like Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green is hardly ideal either, however, adding a new layer to these negotiations. For the Warriors, it feels like Kuminga's next contract will be about preserving the ability to potentially trade him, further complicating the proceedings.
