Jonathan Kuminga is part of the Warriors’ plan for the 2025-26 NBA season, and potentially, for years to come.
Not only have the Warriors recently upped their contract offer to the restricted free agent, but also have made some assurances to the 22-year-old regarding his role moving forward, ESPN’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater reported Monday, citing sources.
“Kuminga’s personal relationship with [Warriors coach Steve] Kerr isn’t a problem,” Charania and Slater wrote. “The messaging from Kerr and the Warriors is that Kuminga would have a substantial role to open next season, per sources. They could use his youth and scoring on the wing.
“But in negotiations, Kuminga’s side has regularly referred to some postseason comments where Kerr highlighted the difficulty of fitting Kuminga next to Curry, Butler and Green for heavy minutes and expecting to win at the highest level. It’s proof to them that the basketball fit is less than ideal for the trajectory of Kuminga’s career.”
Which is why, according to ESPN, Kuminga and his agent, Aaron Turner, have voiced to the Warriors throughout the offseason that they should ‘sell the contract, not the basketball,’ seemingly indicating that the overall financial commitment the team makes will be more of a needle-mover than whatever role the team promises him.
Other teams interested in Kuminga, like the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns, not only reportedly have offered Kuminga more money — three years, $63-66 million and four years, $80-88 million, respectively — but according to ESPN, also have attached player options to their offers and pitched Kuminga on their starting power forward positions.
The Warriors don’t appear to be offering as much money or as secure of a role.
Which is why Kuminga reportedly is leaning toward accepting the one-year, $7.9 million qualifying offer and becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer.
