Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr tried to downplay the ongoing contract standoff with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, which has overshadowed the team’s preparation for the upcoming season.
Kuminga, 22, along with veteran free agents Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton, missed the first day of training camp as the negotiations remain unresolved. Despite the absence, Kerr said he is not overly concerned.
“We’ve been through a lot bigger deals than this. I don’t think this is that big of a deal. These contract disputes happen all the time in sports,” Kerr told reporters Tuesday after the Warriors’ first day of camp. “So again, I’m not concerned.”
Kerr said he is in frequent communication with Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., who has provided encouraging updates on the situation.
“He feels pretty good that we should get this resolved in the next couple of days. So that’s the hope, and we’ll see where it goes,” Kerr said.
The Business Side of Basketball
Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty ImagesJonathan Kuminga continues to reject the Golden State Warriors‘ offers.
Kuminga’s contract talks have spilled into the public eye, with his agent, Aaron Turner, openly discussing the negotiations. According to ESPN insiders Shams Charania and Anthony Slater, the Warriors’ top offers include a two-year, $45 million deal and a three-year, $75.2 million deal, both with team options on the final season. The only offer without a team option is a three-year, $54 million deal.
Kuminga has threatened to accept the $7.9 million qualifying offer, which expires Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. ET. Choosing the QO would make him an unrestricted free agent next offseason and give him control over any midseason trade due to the no-trade clause.
“This is the business we’re in,” Kerr said. “I never begrudge any player for trying to get the best contract that he can. I mean, in fact, I, having been a player, I always feel like it’s part of my job to help our guys do the best they can come contract-wise and help them become the best players that they can be, put themselves in the best position to have a great career, to sign a good contract, take care of their families. These are short careers, and so I want all our players to do well. How it gets there sometimes can be messy. I’m not worried about any of that.”
Disagreement Over Role
Kuminga’s camp has a different perspective, arguing that Kerr’s usage of the young forward has contributed to the current impasse. During the playoffs last season, Kerr limited Kuminga’s minutes, even after his scoring surge following Stephen Curry’s injury.
“I’ve been asked to win,” Kerr told The San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami in May. “And right now, he’s not a guy who I can say, I’m going to play 38 minutes with the roster we have, Steph, Jimmy [Butler], and Draymond [Green], and put the puzzle together that way and expect to win.”
Kerr indicated that he sees Kuminga more as an off-ball player, citing role models such as Aaron Gordon and Shawn Marion. Turner disagreed, emphasizing Kuminga’s ability to create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates.
“Pre-Jimmy [Butler], that was super, super needed. I still think it is needed now,” Turner said on the Dubs Talk podcast.
Kerr Dodges Kuminga Question
Despite the public dispute, Kerr remains hopeful that a resolution is imminent.
“So I’m not going to really say much more than I just said, because otherwise we’re kind of spinning our wheels here,” Kerr said Tuesday. “As soon as we get all the unsigned guys in our building, then I’m happy to talk about all of them again. I’m going to wait till he’s signed, and then you can ask me the same question in a couple of days.”
Kerr’s measured approach suggests the Warriors are focusing on preparing for the season while hoping the contract standoff with Kuminga will be resolved quickly, allowing the team to move forward with a full roster.
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