With the new season drawing near, the Golden State Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga must reach a conclusion to their current standoff. Kuminga is a restricted free agent, but according to reports, he has withstood the Warriors’ contract offers to date.
According to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area, the most logical outcome at this point of the summer is that Kuminga will sign his qualifying offer.
“He entered September facing two options,” Poole wrote of Kuminga. “One, accept Golden State’s qualifying offer of $7.99 million. Two, sign a two-year contract at $45 million, with a team option in Year 2. He has shown no interest in that. Kuminga has shown more interest in the qualifying offer – which gives him trade veto power and puts him on the market next summer – than the two-year deal preferred by Golden State that pays more but diminishes his leverage.”
Should Kuminga ink his qualifying offer, the Warriors will be on the clock to find a willing trade partner. If the explosive forward is still on the roster after the February 2026 trade deadline, he will likely walk next summer, with nothing coming back to the Warriors in return.
Kuminga Edging Closer to Qualifying Offer
According to a September 4 report by ClutchPoint’s NBA Insider Brett Siegel, it’s becoming increasingly more likely that Kuminga will opt into his qualifying offer.
“At the end of the day, Kuminga wants to feel valued, and the Warriors haven’t given him ample reasons to want to stay,” Siegel reported. “That is why all roads currently lead to Kuminga becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer and being able to choose his next home without the Dubs dictating such…With the way things have been trending, Kuminga’s “bluff” of accepting his qualifying offer appears to be on the verge of becoming the Warriors’ reality.”
Kuminga undoubtedly understands the power swing his qualifying offer would create. Golden State has spent this summer in the driving seat, knowing they hold the cards in any negotiation.
That power would immediately shift to Kuminga upon his qualifying offer being signed. After months of a standoff, Kuminga likely favors the additional control.
Warriors’ Locker Room Remains Neutral
During a recent appearance on “Willard and Dibs” for 97.5 The Game, Brandin Podziemski explained how the Warriors locked room is neutral on Kuminga’s position. As such, he won’t face any animosity once training camp gets underway.
“Obviously, everybody on our team knows it’s the media’s job to try to nitpick and find things to write and talk about and separate teammates so they have a story to write,” Podziemski said. “Everybody in the locker room knows no matter how that situation’s resolved, it doesn’t change our viewpoint of JK as a person [and] as a player. Obviously, we all want him to be in the Golden State. That’s the whole point. But it doesn’t change anything.”
Kuminga suited up in 47 of the Warriors’ regular-season games in the 2024-25 campaign. He averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists, shooting 45.4% from the field. However, he will likely want a more consistent role on his next contract.
After all, he’s been unable to establish himself as a key part of Steve Kerr’s rotation. And that, is likely the primary contention point that has led to the current standoff.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Jonathan Kuminga Could Steal Control From Warriors With Contract Decision appeared first on Heavy Sports.