Even if the Golden State Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga reach an agreement to start the season together, the young forward faces the same roster challenges that limited his role last year. The situation is further complicated by a long-running contract standoff, leaving the franchise and its veterans in limbo as training camp approaches.
Roster Fit Complications
NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson proposed a radical approach on the Dubs Talk podcast, suggesting that Draymond Green come off the bench to make space for Kuminga in the starting lineup until he gets traded.
“That’s the only thing that I can think of,” Johnson said. “If you bring in Al Horford, you’re talking about a stretch five, which is what a player like Jonathan Kuminga needs — a big man that can stretch the floor. The only way this works roster-wise is if Draymond morphs into more of an [Andre] Iguodala role for his final seasons, or until JK’s moved. Otherwise, the pieces just don’t fit.”
Johnson added that while Kuminga and Stephen Curry can complement each other on pick-and-roll plays, combining him with Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Green on the floor creates spacing problems that are difficult to reconcile.
Green: Kuminga’s Advocate
Getty Draymond Green (left) speaks to Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors on the bench.
Draymond Green remains Kuminga’s most vocal internal supporter, advocating for the young forward despite the logistical and strategic challenges. Green’s defensive communication and ability to run Golden State’s offense as a point forward are unmatched, and his presence is considered crucial to the Warriors’ system.
“No one on the roster, and probably not in the league, understands how to play team defense on the fly like Draymond does,” NBC Sports Bay Area columnist Monte Poole said in the podcast, disagreeing with Johnson’s radical suggestion. “He is a defensive coordinator in real time. He gives the team offensive flexibility that JK simply can’t provide. Kuminga isn’t a point forward and won’t take on the defensive communication role.”
Kuminga’s System Challenges
Kuminga’s athleticism and scoring ability are undeniable, but his style clashes with the Warriors’ offense, which prioritizes spacing, pace, and Curry’s shooting gravity.
“Steve Kerr, going back to the beginning, JK doesn’t fit the Warriors’ ensemble style,” Poole said. “He has improved his individual skills and can involve teammates better, but he will never seamlessly fit alongside Steph, Jimmy, and Draymond. Spacing becomes an issue, and he’s not a two or a five — he’s a three-four, which overlaps with Jimmy and Draymond.”
Poole noted that the Warriors took off in the second half of last season after the arrival of Butler and while Kuminga was sidelined by a significant ankle injury.
Contract Standoff
Adding to the complexity, Kuminga has yet to finalize his contract. According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater and Shams Charania, the Warriors offered a three-year, $75.2 million deal, including $48.3 million guaranteed over the first two seasons, but the forward is resisting the team option on the final year. Kuminga’s camp, led by agent Aaron Turner, insists that the final year be a player option — a move they frame as a gesture of goodwill and control for the young star after years of uncertainty over his role.
“I talked to Aaron Turner, Jonathan Kuminga’s agent, and the message is simple: turn the team option into a player option, and the deal is done,” Slater said on NBA Today. “Kuminga would not only sign it but fully buy into the team’s mission of helping Curry and Green chase a fifth championship and giving Butler his first.”
The contract standoff has effectively frozen the Warriors’ offseason moves. Veteran free agents such as Horford, De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, and potentially Seth Curry are waiting for clarity before signing. Golden State’s cap space is limited, and without a resolution, training camp and preseason plans remain uncertain.
An Awkward Season Ahead
Despite the challenges, it appears likely that Kuminga will return to Golden State, at least for another season.
“No matter how this ends, it’s going to be awkward,” Poole said. “The same spacing, defensive, and offensive issues from last season are going to exist.”
With training camp set to begin Sept. 29, the Warriors face mounting pressure to finalize Kuminga’s contract and solidify a rotation that satisfies both strategic needs and the ambitions of their high-profile veterans. It’s championship or bust — with Kuminga standing squarely in the middle.
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