The Golden State Warriors are less than three weeks away from training camp, but the stalemate with Jonathan Kuminga remains unresolved. What was once just a contract negotiation has now spilled into the locker room, with veterans reportedly concerned about how invested Kuminga will be if he returns on the qualifying offer.
Anthony Slater of ESPN reported this week that there have been “renewed, genuine efforts” to get a deal over the finish line. But he added a revealing wrinkle: “The veterans are wondering about Jonathan Kuminga’s buy-in if he comes back on the qualifying offer.”
Where the Warriors and Kuminga Stand
The Warriors’ best known offer to Kuminga remains two years, $45 million, with a team option in Year 2. That structure also removes his right to veto a trade in Year 1, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
Kuminga’s camp has pushed back, seeking closer to $30 million per year on a long-term deal, or at least a second-year player option if it’s short-term. With neither side budging, the expectation is that Kuminga will eventually accept the $7.9 million qualifying offer.
That path would keep him in Golden State next season but also set up an uncomfortable dynamic: Kuminga would hit unrestricted free agency in 2026, and the Warriors would risk losing a former lottery pick for nothing.
Warriors Veterans Growing Impatient
GettyJimmy Butler III #10, Draymond Green #23 and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors.
Slater’s reporting raises the stakes. For a veteran core built around Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler, time is running short. At ages 35 and up, every season counts.
If Kuminga returns on the qualifying offer, questions remain about whether he’ll be locked in on contributing or playing with one foot out the door. For veterans chasing another title, that uncertainty is a problem. Buy-in matters, and this situation could test the Warriors’ chemistry just as much as their cap sheet.
The Clock Is Ticking
The deadline for Kuminga to sign the qualifying offer is October 1, and training camp opens just days before. That leaves little time for progress.
The Chicago Bulls’ recent deal with Josh Giddey — four years, $100 million — only added to the frustration in Kuminga’s camp, highlighting the gap between his market value and Golden State’s offer. As Fischer noted, “If the Warriors were to drop their insistence on the team option … maybe.” But even then, the Warriors are offering far less than what other young players are now receiving.
Until something gives, the Warriors remain stuck in limbo. And as Slater reported, the veterans in the locker room are starting to wonder if the waiting game is worth it.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post New Report Reveals Warriors Veterans’ Worry With Kuminga appeared first on Heavy Sports.