The olden State Warriors finally have clarity after weeks of offseason drama: Jonathan Kuminga is back. The 22-year-old forward agreed to a two-year, $48.5 million deal with a team option, per ESPN’s Shams Charania, and a 15% trade kicker, ending the contract standoff that hovered over the start of training camp.
But the bigger question remains: will Kuminga stay past Jan. 15, when he becomes trade-eligible? And how will the forward adjust to life as a supporting player in a roster built around stars Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler?
Golden State coach Steve Kerr doesn’t seem worried.
“We’ve got a good team, powerful leadership in the locker room,” he told reporters. “I’ve known JK for four years now. He’s not the kind of guy to come in and tear a team down. We’ve got a ton of depth on this team. A lot of people can play. A lot of guys are ready to step in. Jimmy instantly changed our team last year. Jimmy is an alpha. Steph and Draymond [Green] are alphas—they run that locker room. I’m not worried about anything.”
Jonathan Kuminga’s Role
Kuminga made waves last season in Curry’s absence, averaging 24.3 points on 55.4% shooting and 38.9% from deep across four playoff games. Yet Kerr was clear: the young forward won’t be logging 38-minute nights on this roster.
“And there’s no denying that there’s a place for him on this team,” Kerr said. “We don’t have that big athletic wing player like he represents. But the fact is, we’re going to run our offense through Steph and Jimmy for obvious reasons. They’re two of the best players in the league. They create opportunities for other players. So JK, the more he can defend with activity, rebound, and run the floor, the better chance he has to play.”
Kuminga’s ambitions are well-known—he wants a bigger role, and his agent has said as much. Kerr, however, stressed that the path to playing time is clear: embrace the role the team asks of him, excel in it, and the opportunities will come.
“Everybody progresses at a different rate,” Kerr said. “Things can click. There are going to be times this year when we have to get him the ball and run the offense through him. We have an older team, and there will be games where Steph is out, Jimmy’s out, maybe both. We’re going to ask JK to do what we ask every player to do: commit to whatever it takes to win the game.”
Steve Kerr’s First Order of Business
Before the season even begins, Kerr plans a sit-down with Kuminga to make sure expectations are aligned. “The first thing is a great conversation with JK,” Kerr said. “To me, this is at the heart of any good team culture—communication. He and I have always gotten along well. There’s never been any issues personally. It’s just about fit, what we need, how he sees himself, and how we see him. We have to have that conversation before we start the season to make sure we’re all on the same page.”
With that clarity in place, the Warriors can move forward. The contract drama is behind them, and the focus shifts fully to basketball. As Kerr puts it, the framework is set: trust in the locker room, depth in the roster, and a clear role for Kuminga—whatever unfolds after January is secondary to winning now.
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