The Golden State Warriors are yet to reach a resolution with Jonathan Kuminga this summer, and they seem to be biding their time for a superstar, should he be made available.
The Golden State Warriors are yet to make any sort of move this offseason, despite being linked to both Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton.
Priority number one seems to be figuring out the Jonathan Kuminga situation. He is a restricted free agent, and the Warriors have extended a qualifying offer, keeping him on the books for another season unless he is moved in a sign-and-trade, which seems to be a very real possibility.
Kuminga and the Warriors seem to be on the outs, with both parties preferring him to play elsewhere this season, although it could benefit both of them for him to sign a longer deal with Golden State.
If Kuminga returns to Golden State on the one-year qualifying offer, he will make $7.9 million next season before becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer. As a free agent, he should be able to sign a lucrative deal next summer, but that means spending another year in Golden State, which he doesn’t want to do.
On top of that, if he gets injured this season, there is no guarantee that his next contract will be maximized, so there is some risk involved.
It seems counter-intuitive for him to sign a big deal with the Warriors, although committing–on paper at least–to the Dubs long term could work out for him. If he signs a new deal, he has to wait three months before being traded, although he will likely have more suitors than he would if he was simply playing on a one-year rental contract.
For both the Warriors and Kuminga, signing him for three or four years not only would make him more guaranteed money, but it makes him easier to move.
With Kuminga signed to a whole new contract, the Warriors can set their sights on a prized trade target.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has yet to demand a trade from the Milwaukee Bucks, but if the Doc Rivers-led team falls flat, even with Myles Turner in town, it stands to reason that the Bucks will have to have a difficult talk next summer.
A fourth first-round exit in a row in 2026 would likely spell the end of the Giannis era in Milwaukee, and the Warriors, as well as the rest of the league, are gearing up to add him.
With Kuminga signed to a longer deal, the Warriors can include him as a key part of a possible trade package.
“There’s another reason why the Warriors don’t want to give Kuminga away for less than his full trade value: Like every other smart team, they’re trying to maintain every asset they’ve got so they’re ready once and if the Giannis Antetokounmpo market heats up,” wrote The San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami.
“If you’re looking to build a trade around a young player who could step right into a barren roster and give a transitioning team a burst of energy … well, I think the Warriors might have a candidate to bring up if Milwaukee ever asks. That is, if the Warriors and Kuminga can agree on a solid deal this summer.”
It will take a lot more than Kuminga to land Antetokounmpo, although the Warriors could toss in Moses Moody, who was extended last summer, as well as up to three first-round picks and multiple pick swaps, possibly enough to get a deal done for a new franchise centerpiece to build around.
