Golden State Warriors’ restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga has made it clear: he wants a starting role. But to former coach-turned-analyst Stan Van Gundy, that kind of opportunity won’t come in Golden State — or with any team that expects to compete for a title.
“He’s only 22, without a lot of experience, so could all this improve? Absolutely,” Van Gundy told The San Francisco Chronicle. “If you’re going to have him out there, you have to play through him. To me, he’s either a primary scorer on a bad team or a bench scorer on a good team.”
It’s a sharp assessment of a player whose career has been caught in limbo.
The No. 7 pick of the 2021 NBA Draft has shown flashes of star potential, none brighter than when he carried the Warriors’ offense during Stephen Curry’s absence in last season’s playoffs. In four games against the Timberwolves, Kuminga averaged 24.3 points on 55% shooting and 38.9% from three.
The Warriors lost every game.
Jonathan Kuminga-Steve Kerr Disconnect
That stretch summed up Kuminga’s tenure with Golden State: tantalizing individual numbers, but little impact on winning. His ambition to be more than a role player has repeatedly clashed with Steve Kerr’s system, which prioritizes ball movement and spacing around Curry. When the roster was healthy, Kuminga often found himself glued to the bench, his minutes shrinking when the stakes rose.
Kerr hasn’t shied away from explaining why.
“I’ve been asked to win,” Kerr told “The TK Show” 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.”
That blunt stance has only deepened the divide between player and team. Kuminga believes the Warriors have stunted his growth, ESPN’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater previously reported. Golden State, meanwhile, views him as an asset whose contract must reflect flexibility, not long-term security.
The Warriors’ current offer is a two-year, $45 million deal with a team option on Year 2, a structure designed to make him movable in trades. They’ve also asked Kuminga to waive the built-in no-trade clause that such contracts typically grant. Kuminga, for his part, wants a player option — leverage over his own future. He has made it clear he does not want to be a “pawn.”
Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes on Another Level
His standoff comes at a time when nearly all of his draft peers have cashed in.
Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes, and Franz Wagner all secured five-year, $224 million max extensions, deals that could rise to $269 million if they hit All-NBA or other benchmarks. Cunningham and Mobley already crossed those thresholds last season — Cunningham as a Third-Team All-NBA selection, Mobley as Defensive Player of the Year.
Even players outside the “max” tier have found stability. Jalen Suggs signed a five-year, $150 million contract. Jalen Green landed a three-year, $105 million deal last summer before he was dealt to Phoenix for Kevin Durant this offseason.
Kuminga? He remains in limbo.
He believes he belongs in the same conversation as Cunningham and Barnes, according to The San Francisco Chronicle, citing a league source.
Van Gundy doesn’t see it.
“Cade Cunningham has proven to be the best of that class,” Van Gundy said. “He’s been the No. 1 guy, elevated his team, proven he’s an All-Star. Kuminga could make a better case with Barnes, but the difference is their ability to make plays for other people. Barnes can really pass and help you that way.”
Cunningham has already dragged Detroit to the playoffs. Barnes took over as Toronto’s face of the franchise after the Raptors dealt Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby.
Is Jonathan Kuminga a Star or a Role Player?
GettyFormer NBA head coach-turned NBA analyst Stan Van Gundy did not sugarcoat his assessment of Jonathan Kuminga compared to his draft peers.
For Van Gundy, Kuminga’s more natural comparison is Green.
“Green has proven himself at a higher level, as the leading scorer on a 50-win playoff team,” said Van Gundy, who moved from TNT to Amazon Prime’s NBA streaming. “Kuminga has never been more than a role guy. Whether it’s opportunity or not, those guys deserve to be paid at a higher level.”
Which leaves the Warriors — and Kuminga — at a crossroads. Is he a future star waiting for the right role, or a scorer better suited for the bench of a contender? Van Gundy leans toward the latter.
“I would say Wagner is a winning player, and also Cunningham and Barnes,” Van Gundy added. “I’m not sure about Kuminga. I don’t see the overall understanding of the game that allows him to fit among other guys, and help a team play well at both ends.”
For now, the standoff continues. Kuminga wants more than the Warriors are willing to give. Golden State wants a role player.
One side will have to blink.
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