Warriors stuck: Keeping a disgruntled star will ‘die’, selling will also ‘go to pieces’
Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors reacts as time expires in the team’s 86-85 victory over the San Antonio Spurs during the 2022 NBA Summer League.
On the surface, the Golden State Warriors appear to have the leverage in the ongoing standoff with their restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga.
But underneath, they are in a “lose-lose” situation, according to ESPN’s front office insider Bobby Marks.
“It’s probably more of a lose-lose for Golden State. I’m not saying Golden State should panic and suddenly offer three for $80 million,” Marks said over the weekend. “How I look at it for Golden State is that Jonathan Kuminga is now on a one-year $8 million deal.”
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater, Kuminga has expressed his willingness to take the $7.9 million qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent after next season.
That is the doomsday scenario for the Warriors.
“Trading Jonathan Kuminga at a $22 million salary is a lot easier than trading Jonathan Kuminga at an $8 million salary, if you want to go hunting for a big name,” Marks explained. “What if an All-NBA player becomes available? You do not have the contracts unless you’re trading and Draymond Green or Jimmy Butler. You would have Kuminga at $8 million, [Moses] Moody at $11 million, Buddy [Hield] at $8 or 9 million.
“You don’t have the numbers to stack, which is why getting Kuminga on a two-year deal for $45 million is a perfect solution for Golden State, but it takes two to tango, and requires Kuminga to sign at that number.”
Battle of Control
Kuminga has rejected the Warriors’ offer, which includes a team option on the second year, which is designed to be traded after the six-month moratorium. But they also asked Kuminga to relinquish the inherent no-trade clause that will give them the power to trade him to the highest bidder, not necessarily to a team that will give Kuminga the playing time and major role he’s desperately craving.
In rejecting the Warriors’ $22.5 million offer per year, Kuminga stood for himself, not wanting to cede “too much control to a franchise he believes has stunted and strung his career along for four seasons,” according to Charania and Kuminga.
The incoming fifth-year forward likes the fresh start that the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings have offered, according to Charania and Slater, as Kuminga views coach Steve Kerr “as someone who has made it clear there is not a defined big-minute opportunity for him every night with the Warriors.”
Widening Rift Between Kerr, Kuminga
GettyGolden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga chats with Steve Kerr.
Kerr went on record that Kuminga will not play starter minutes next season if he remains with the team following their playoff exit.
“I’ve been asked to win,” Kerr told The San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami on “The TK Show” on May 21. “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 [Curry], Jimmy and Draymond, and put the puzzle together that way and expect to win.”
Kuminga ended last season with a scoring flurry. He averaged 24.3 points on 55.4% shooting and 38.9% from the 3-point line during the final four games of their second-round matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. But the Warriors did not win a single game with Kuminga leading the way in scoring without an injured Curry.
Those flashy numbers don’t mean a thing to Kerr if they are not winning.
Alder Almo is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 20 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo