Warriors Balk at Jonathan Kuminga’s Contract Demand: Report

Jonathan Kuminga is shooting for the moon this offseason.

On top of looking for an expanded role — whether that is with the Golden State Warriors or another team — the 22-year-old forward is also seeking a lucrative contract.

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Kuming and the Warriors are far apart in their negotiation for a new contract that will either keep him in Golden State or flip in a sign-and-trade.

“His agent Aaron Turner has held numerous discussions with Warriors officials in Las Vegas, league sources tell The Stein Line, with the hope of securing a contract — even a short-term contract — that pays at least $25 million in average annual salary … whether that’s to stay with the Warriors or switch teams via sign-and-trade,” Fischer wrote on “The Stein Line” Substack newsletter on July 17.

The Warriors “have expressed reluctance to go that high in price over a long-term agreement,” Fischer added, citing league sources.

The final figure in a new contract for Kuminga will also matter to the team that will trade for him because of a quirk in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Only 50% of his outgoing salary counts for matching purposes. But his full salary counts as the incoming salary for whichever team acquires him.

For example, if Kuminga signs for $25 million annual average salary, the Warriors can only trade him for a player or players worth just $12.5 million. Their trade partner, on the other hand, will absorb the full $25 million in their books.

Warriors’ Hefty Asking Price

Getty The Golden State Warriors rejected the Sacramento Kings’ offer featuring last year’s 13th overall pick, Devin Carter, for Jonathan Kuminga.

Kuminga is hoping a sign-and-trade materializes for him to get out of Golden State, where he has no defined role under coach Steve Kerr.

But the Warriors are not ready to just salary dump him.

According to Fischer, the Warriors are “seeking some level of first-round draft compensation in any theoretical trade that ships Kuminga elsewhere.”

Anthony Slater, previously of The Athletic, reported on July 3, before his move to  ESPN, reported a similar theme in the Warriors’ dealings with teams who want to trade for Kuminga.

“They’ve drawn inbound calls in recent days, most notably from the Sacramento Kings, who floated an offer of Devin Carter, Dario Šarić and two second-round picks, league sources said. The Warriors have so far balked at what they felt was a buy-low attempt, league sources said,” Slater wrote.

The Warriors are looking for “a promising young player, plus a first-round pick” in a sign-and-trade for Kuminga, according to Slater.

Suns Want Jonathan Kuminga

Fischer added that the Phoenix Suns, fresh off buying out three-time All-Star Bradley Beal, have expressed strong interest in Kuminga. But there’s a catch.

“Sources say Phoenix, meanwhile, is the latest team to express exploratory interest in a Kuminga sign-and-trade … challenging as it would be for the Suns to make such a deal happen,” Fischer wrote.

The Suns have reached out to both Kuminga’s representation and the Warriors “to make their fondness for the bouncy swingman known,” according to Fischer.

However, no deal is imminent as the Suns face hurdles in a potential sign-and-trade for the Warriors’ former No. 7 pick.

“The Suns, to be clear, do not appear to possess the sort of draft capital or players that Golden State is believed to be seeking in exchange for Kuminga,” Fischer wrote.

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