Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob admitted he was “annoyed” by the drawn-out contract standoff with Jonathan Kuminga, which dominated the team’s offseason, but says he’s ready to put the saga behind him and focus on the season ahead.
Lacob Addresses Kuminga’s Negotiation Drama
The Warriors’ offseason was overshadowed by Kuminga’s uncertain future after months of tense back-and-forth between the 23-year-old forward’s camp and the organization. His agent, Aaron Turner, went on a media tour to push for a deal on Kuminga’s terms, even hinting that the player might accept his $7.9 million qualifying offer, setting up unrestricted free agency next summer.
“People have to use whatever they can in a negotiation — and so they do,” Lacob said on The TK Show with Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard. “It’s like social media; you have to have a thick skin to deal with all this stuff. I was annoyed that it didn’t happen faster. I think it could have, and maybe should have. But look, it’s the way these things go.
“It went on a long time — longer than we would have liked — but it got done kind of how we thought it would. I’m moving on. It was what it was, but at the end of the day, we got the team we wanted for this year, and we’re happy.”
Ultimately, Kuminga re-signed with the Warriors on a two-year, $48.5 million contract, including a team option for 2027–28 — a structure the franchise favored for long-term flexibility.
Joe Lacob Credits GM Mike Dunleavy Jr.
Lacob stressed that he stayed out of the day-to-day details and let general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. handle the negotiations.
“It was his negotiation,” Lacob said. “I know everyone likes to think I’m out here controlling every little detail, but I’m not. It’s his job, and he played it his way. Bottom line, he got to the end result that he felt we would get to.
“Look, there are always little give-and-takes in a negotiation. You can’t be completely inflexible. We were pretty flexible, actually — we had multiple different scenarios we were willing to do, and the agent knew that, and JK knew that.”
Lacob Still High on Kuminga’s Potential
Despite the months of tension, Lacob reiterated his belief in Kuminga, whom he called both “a great kid” and “an exciting player to watch.”
“I like him as a person and as a player,” Lacob said. “Obviously, it hasn’t fit entirely perfectly at times with what Steve [Kerr] maybe wanted or wants, but at times it has worked well. We just have to let it play out. It’s time for basketball now. What happens on the floor is what matters.”
Trust in Kerr and the Coaching Staff
Lacob said he and Kerr have discussed Kuminga’s role but emphasized that the final decisions are up to the head coach.
“Yes, we’ve had discussions — I can have input — but at the end of the day, he makes the decisions,” Lacob said. “It’s his job. He coaches the team. Our conversations cover a lot more than just JK.”
Kuminga’s Future Still Uncertain
Although Kuminga is now locked in for this season, his long-term future remains a question mark. He becomes trade-eligible on Jan. 15, and his role will depend heavily on his fit and on-court consistency.
“The one thing I’ve learned — my 16th year doing this — is that the world never winds up quite like you think in the NBA,” Lacob said. “Things change dramatically — sometimes for the positive, sometimes for the negative.
“By the end of the year, we may have a completely different conversation about the structure of the team, about the role of some players. Players get better, some get worse, there are injuries, teams gel or they don’t. That’s up to our staff and players to figure out.”
Still, Lacob remains optimistic and has “great faith” in the team they have assembled.
“I like our team a lot,” he said. “I like our coach a lot. I’m really enthusiastic about what we’re going to see this year. I think we can contend — and as fans, you always want hope. Well, I think we have hope.”
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