The Golden State Warriors continue to stand firm in their messy contract talks with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Golden State recently rejected a trade proposal from the Sacramento Kings that would have sent Kuminga out in exchange for Malik Monk and a future first-round pick.
Golden State’s refusal highlights how unwilling they are to move on from the 22-year-old forward without a return they believe matches his value.
Warriors Reject Rival’s Malik Monk Trade Offer
The rejected package from Sacramento centered around Monk, the 2023–24 Sixth Man of the Year runner-up, and a first-round pick. On paper, it would have given Golden State an established scorer in his prime along with draft flexibility.
But there were clear drawbacks. Monk, 27, is under contract for three more seasons on a four-year, $77.9 million deal he signed last summer. While he has improved each year, his price tag is significant. His long-term upside is also limited compared to Kuminga.
Kuminga, meanwhile, averaged more than 15 points per game last season. He remains one of the Warriors’ few young players with star potential. Golden State appears far more comfortable trying to get him re-signed, even if negotiations have been anything but smooth.
Inside the Warriors’ Ongoing Stalemate
Getty Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob.
The Kings’ proposal wasn’t the only deal Golden State turned away. ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported that the Warriors also declined sign-and-trade frameworks from the Phoenix Suns involving Royce O’Neale and draft compensation.
At the heart of the standoff is contract structure. Golden State has offered Kuminga multiple frameworks. One was a two-year, $45 million deal with a team option in the second season. Another was a more recent three-year, $75.2 million offer. That deal also included a team option. Kuminga and his agent, Aaron Turner, have pushed back against those terms. They prefer longer guarantees or a player option.
Owner Joe Lacob even flew across the country in August to meet with Kuminga, Turner, and general manager Mike Dunleavy in Miami, according to ESPN. During the meeting, Lacob pressed Kuminga with a blunt question: “Do you want to be here?” Kuminga responded with one of his own: “Do you even want me here?”
The back-and-forth has underscored just how far apart the two sides remain.
What It Means for Golden State
As training camp approaches, the Warriors have filled only nine of their 15 roster spots. Kuminga’s future is the domino that will shape the rest of their offseason.
Star teammates Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler have even reached out to Kuminga to check in on his mindset and plans. Meanwhile, head coach Steve Kerr has reportedly told him he’ll have a substantial role to begin next season.
Still, the lack of progress in contract talks leaves everything unsettled. Golden State doesn’t want to lose Kuminga for what they see as below his value. They’d prefer to re-sign him to a more tradeable contract and keep flexibility on their side. That approach could also set up the option of exploring a bigger trade before the deadline, rather than settling now. Until there’s resolution, the franchise remains in limbo.
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