The Golden State Warriors reportedly refused to trade Jonathan Kuminga for Alex Caruso when the Chicago Bulls tried to acquire the Congolese forward.
According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater and Shams Charania, Warriors governor Joe Lacob nixed the trade for the two-time NBA champion a few seasons ago.
“Lacob has remained a staunch Kuminga supporter and vocal believer in his long-term future,” wrote the NBA insiders.
“He voiced an unwillingness to include Kuminga in a proposed trade from Chicago for Alex Caruso a couple of seasons back, sources said, and was still glowing about Kuminga’s performance in May after he rose from out of Steve Kerr’s first-round rotation to the team’s leading scorer in the second-round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.”
Kuminga Showed Out Against Minnesota
As the ESPN report noted, Kuminga, after receiving four DNPs in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs against the Houston Rockets, showcased his ability in the semifinals series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the five games against Minnesota, Kuminga led all Warriors with 20.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists at impressive shooting splits of 54/42/74. Kuminga received the opportunity to play a key role after Steph Curry endured a hamstring injury, ruling the sharpshooter out of the lineup.
After scoring a career playoff-high 30 points in Game 3 against Minnesota, Kuminga said his “confidence” came back and he was hungry for more success.
“It’s not easy,” Kuminga said of his erratic playing time, via NBC Sports Bay Area.
“It’s very tough. I think the only thing that kept me ready was watching how we play, working out every other day and just watching film. I think that was the only preparation. … It’s not easy, especially when you don’t get too many opportunities to be out there.
What Next for Warriors, Kuminga?
“I can do all that in my workouts and stuff like that, but if you’re not in the game, it’s different and more serious. Just within the time, it keeps getting better. Like I said, I’m just gaining my confidence back,” Kuminga said on May 10.
According to ESPN, the Warriors recently upped their offer to Kuminga from two years and $45 million to three years and $75 million, including a team option in the final year. However, the fifth-year forward remains hesitant to put pen to paper, with his camp insisting on a player option in the final year of his contract.
Kuminga reportedly is still not sure about signing his qualifying offer, which would make him an unrestricted free agent in 2026.
“Kuminga’s greatest leverage is the one-year, $8 million qualifying offer, attached to an inherent no-trade clause,” read the report. “As the summer has dragged on and the discomfort in these negotiations has grown further, Kuminga has warmed further to the idea. The decision to sign it could very well play out up to the Oct. 1 deadline unless either side caves.
“The financial drawbacks are straightforward. Kuminga would be turning down as much as $15.3 million extra next season and risking a career spiral that never allows him to recoup that money. It has become an extension league and Kuminga would be declining a larger set salary number to extend off into his next deal.”
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