The Golden State Warriors made a short-term offer to restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, NBA insider Marc Stein reports.
“Word is that the Warriors’ best offers to Kuminga have topped out in the two-year $40 million range,” Stein wrote on “The Stein Line” Substack newsletter on July 28.
Kuminga was said to be seeking a contract in $30 million range annually, Stein added, which is also what his fellow restricted free agents, Josh Giddey and Cam Thomas, want.
The 22-year-old forward’s tension-filled restricted free agency is holding up the Warriors’ offseason. They are the only NBA team that has not made a move in free agency.
According to Stein, Kuminga’s camp has continued to seek out sign-and-trade opportunities.
The Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns are still regarded as “the most determined suitors,” but the Warriors are looking for a first-round pick in exchange for Kuminga, Stein reported.
While the Suns, like the Kings, have pitched a starting role for Kuminga, the Suns do not have an available first-round pick to offer, Stein noted.
Thus, Kuminga and the Warriors are in a stalemate with no imminent resolution in sight.
Jonathan Kuminga’s Agent Fires Back
Getty Jonathan Kuminga watches Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors do his “Night Night” celebration.
So many rumors have flown around the evolving Kuminga situation.
One of them was the old report that Kuminga’s camp turned down a $30 million annual salary offer from the Warriors last year as they were looking for a max contract, which made his camp look bad.
Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, finally broke his silence and refuted the rumor.
“NO one on our side was turning down 30M a year. Our camp is smarter than that. Narrative makes no sense, twisted up Slater’s words, I think! #Fakenews” Turner wrote on X.
Turner, the president of Verus Basketball, was referring to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, who previously worked for The Athletic.
Slater also clarified that Kuminga never received a $30 million annual salary offer from the Warriors last year.
“While numbers were discussed, I think Jalen Johnson getting five years, $150 million gave a target, obviously Kuminga and his representation, they had ambitious thoughts of what it could be,” Slater said on “The Hoop Collective” podcast on July 25. “I’m of the belief – and I’ve been told – that (Kuminga’s camp) would’ve taken five for $150 million if it was ever on the table. It wasn’t on the table.”
Warriors Draw Line in the Sand
The Warriors are standing firm on their short-term offer, which is less than what Kuminga is seeking on top of a starting role.
“We’re trying to be responsible,” an unnamed Warriors front office executive told Keith Smith of Spotrac. “With the aprons and hard caps and all of that, you can’t just throw money around. We still love Jonathan. We’re hopeful we can figure out a way to strike a balance that works for him and for us. But we’re not going to compromise our roster-building ability now, or in the future. We have to be responsible in the way we build our team.”
The Warriors have been reluctant to meet Kuminga’s demands, and the former lottery pick isn’t budging either, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
“He did tell me, though, that he is in absolutely no rush on doing a deal with the Warriors right now, and he is not accepting their current offers,” Charania said on “NBA Today” on July 24. “He added that he wanted to continue to explore options with his agent, Aaron Turner, whether that’s continuing conversations with the Warriors, but also sign-and-trade options that are available to him in the marketplace.”
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