Amid the contract stalemate between the Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga, the restricted free agent has the option of accepting his one-year, $7.9 million qualifying offer, thereby becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2026.
Typically, high-profile RFAs such as Kuminga either receive offer sheets from other teams or find new homes via sign-and-trade scenarios. The Congolese forward is still holding out hope for the latter, per multiple insiders. However, if the contract impasse drags into training camp, he may take the drastic call of accepting the qualifying offer.
One NBA exec predicts a gloomy future for the Warriors if Kuminga goes that route.
“If he takes the qualifying offer, the Warriors are f–ked from a team-building standpoint, because they need to get him on a deal where they can trade him,” he told The Athletic’s Fred Katz. “That’s the key for them.”
The executive added that, with many teams flush with cap space next summer, Kuminga could earn himself a lucrative payday by foregoing a bigger salary this year.
Kuminga Controls His Future
“So that’s why he could risk (a short-term deal) or the qualifying offer. (If he took the qualifying offer), there’s a few teams with cap room next summer who may strike out and have interest also,” the executive stressed.
If the fifth-year forward accepts the qualifying offer, he will essentially become more untradable, further complicating matters for the Warriors.
According to multiple reports, teams such as the Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns have made concrete offers for Kuminga, but the Warriors have yet to see a deal they liked. To that end, The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported that the Warriors shot down a package from the Kings involving six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan, and the Suns made an offer headlined by sharpshooter Grayson Allen. The Warriors are reportedly adamant that they receive at least one first-round draft pick, along with either expiring contracts, or young players they can use as future building blocks.
Details of the Contract Impasse
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Warriors are unwilling to offer Kuminga more than a two-year, $40 million deal.
“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.
Stein added that Kuminga was seeking a contract in the range of $30 million per year, the same as fellow restricted free agents Josh Giddey and Cam Thomas.
Earlier in the offseason, a report claimed that Kuminga’s camp turned down a $30 million annual salary from the Warriors. However, Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, emphatically denied the reports.
“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” he wrote on X.
Kuminga averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists from 47 games for the Warriors last season. His numbers were down from his third year in the league, but thanks in part to his reduced role brought about by the Jimmy Butler trade.
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