Jimmy Butler has contacted Warriors management to gauge the situation involving restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, NBC Sports Bay Area reporter Dalton Johnson said on the latest Dubs Talk podcast (YouTube link).
Kuminga remains unsigned with the start of training camp less than two weeks away. A report earlier this week stated that the team recently increased its offer to $75.2MM over three years, but Kuminga and his representatives refused to accept because it contains a team option for the final season.
“I can confidently say that Jimmy Butler has also reached out to the team and been like, ‘What’s going on here? I just want to know the plan,’” Johnson said.
Johnson points out that the Warriors quickly resolved any outstanding issues with Butler when they acquired him from Miami in a February trade. Butler had been engaged in a prolonged standoff with the Heat because they were unwilling to agree to an extension, but Golden State announced a new two-year, $111MM contract with Butler when the trade was finalized.
“I think Jimmy, as someone who came on last year and kind of showed, ‘All right, you took care of me, all the drama’s done, all the Miami stuff, it’s just basketball for me. I’m all about basketball,” Johnson added. “When I’m on the contract for you, it’s about basketball. And now I think he’s saying, ‘Hey, show me that it’s all about basketball. We have two weeks until training camp. So either just pay (Kuminga) or move him. Like, there needs to be a decision.’”
Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, told ESPN’s Anthony Slater that his client would be willing to take the Warriors’ latest offer if the team option is replaced by a player option. If a new deal can’t be worked out, Kuminga can still choose to accept the one-year, $8MM qualifying offer that was tendered in late June. It contains a no-trade clause and would make him an unrestricted free agent next summer.
“Star player asks ownership about roster” is not really news, imo. I would assume this happens every week on every team in the offseason.
Jimmy, the Warriors are not going to give a big contract to a guy who’s NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
The offer is on the table. Heck in Goodwill, Warriors will improve it a tad.
Or take the QO and let the chips fall where they may.
That’s it.
It’s not all on the Warriors. If JK wants to set the rules in stone then again, let the chips fall where they may.
Jimmy’s alternative solution is to trade him? You’re not going to take a three year contract of Malik monk.
You’re not gonna take a guy who’s not very good in Carter or Saric.
There’s no deal out there that’s better than Kuminga taking the QO.
That’s where we stand. What ultimately happens is anyone’s guess.
Perhaps the Warriors cave and give JK a little more money and the contract he wants for three years.
But in that case I FIRMLY believe they would be stuck with a guy who is overpaid.
Just my opinion here. Agree or disagree but stop calling people names. You know who you are. One is Angry and one is.., well, you know lol.
Letting him go for nothing would be a terrible move. And it’d be a terrible move for Kuminga. I think the middle ground for both teams would be 2/50 guaranteed. Kuminga gets his guaranteed money and the Warriors still have an asset because that’s what Sac and other were reportedly willing to pay him. He’d be overpaid but still an asset they can use to either get picks or players. Letting him walk with the QO would be much worse.
I am confused. If he’s not good enough, WHY did Warriors offer him a manor contract last offseason? Why are they offering 25m per thus far this offseason? Warriors had evey opportunity to nontender Kuminga and sign Lopez, Beals, or Lilliard for much much cheaper than $25m per. There must be a reason why.
Gary, ALLCAPS is for executive orders and your Only Fans account. Don’t let me have to tell you again.
You had me hollerin!!! Lmaooooo
Aristotle,
Is that why Skip Bayless is on CAPS LOCK for eternity? Lol Well done btw….
Jimmy Butler makes another franchise all about him. And warriors leadership is cowtowing…what a world
Kowtowing bro. It isn’t about actually towing a cow.
Shocked… Shocked… Oh wait… it’s Jimmy Butler…
Butler and Kuminga for the Claw and something else or LeBron or Durant
Kuminga is an idiot.
Oh…Jimmy reached out. Everything’s fine now!
Jimmy got his bag, it’s basically a ticking timebomb now.
Once Jimmy’s joy-meter runs low, all bets are off ….. Kerr might retire, Draymond will keep it real, really fast.
Yea Jimmys cooked. Hasn’t left a single organization on good terms.
Now Jimmy Butler’s involved? You’re right. Butler’s likely more trouble. These overpaid, over-entitled guys think they’re God’s gift. What a mess! Golden State won’t regain Kuminga’s respect or support so move on.
Get ya popcorn ready…
Butler is a stud. Top 10 player.
I’ll take top 25 at this point in Butler’s career. It’s all about availability. At 36 years old and based on recent injury history, he projects to miss 20-25 games and play just under 1/2 of the team’s total minutes (as do Steph and Draymond). SGA, Edwards, Jokic, Sengun, all project to 65-70% of their players games.
Age and availability are why this Warriors’ team is so much less than the 2015-16 team, or the younger teams that have won in the last few years (OKC, Celtics, Pacers, etc). With our best on the floor, we’re top 6. But because they’re not on the floor as much as younger players, we’re top 11.
Based on the Minnesota series, Butler can no longer carry a team on his own. That’s another reason I can’t put him in the top 10.
I love that Kuminga is standing on business and making the Warriors face all the terrible decisions they have made since 2022
Fake offer …. 25 mill will kill the other moves.
And if you really wanted him to sign. Just give him the PO. Easier to trade then. Can happen by Dec 15 ……
link to hoopsrumors.com
This is gonna get spicey…
All Kuminga wants is the final year of the extension to be a player option and not a team option. Are warriors that obsessed???
It makes him harder to trade. Everyone can see he’s not good enough. So you give him a Malik monk “three more years” contract? The Kings can’t get rid of that guy.
You give Jonathan Kuminga his 25 million and they won’t be able to trade him. Remember, he’s still someone with “potential” who’s not quite there yet. 25 million dollars times three years is a gamble for this particular player.
> Remember, he’s still someone with “potential” who’s not quite there yet.
He’s averaged >20 points per 32 mins for a couple of years now. That’s a #2 or #3 scorer by any reasonable standard. At 22 years old, that’s virtually certain to improve over the next few years. But, he’s also got the physical tools to be an elite wing defender, a hugely valuable commodity.
All rookie extensions are a bet on the future. And, they have a much higher return on investment than veteran max contracts do.
Yes ari, we agree. It’s a risk and it’s based on potential. He has the ability to improve.
But he’s not there yet.
“Greater than 20 points per game?”
He’s never averaged 20 points a game. You can project all you want, but the fact is he’s averaged around 15 1/2 points per game for the Warriors.
Can he get to >20points per game? A lot of people hope so. But we can all see there’s hesitation in paying for that potential today.
I don’t believe looking at career average per game is as valuable as points per minute in recent years. When a young player is playing for a contending team, he’ll get less minutes.
We could just as easily cite games he has started (22 ppg) or playoff games (the most meaningful data, which your measure excludes), etc. , Etc
No measure is perfect, but using just one (which happens to show the worst) gives an incomplete picture.
Very good Ari. Great points.
Very good points.
Nothing else matters but PPG!!!111
NBA is just HORSE right?
The Countdown ———- today Sept 18, 2025
There are 13 days to go for QO. Oct 1, 2025
T-H-I-R-T-E-E-N days left for Kuminga to sign QO.
13 days to Horford, Melton, Payton …….
Even if Kuminga signs the current offer and stays on the team, Warriors will be able to sign all those 3 players.
I don’t think so. Not 25 mill. They will lose the midlevel for Horford. 25 puts team salary over tax threshold 187.9. And close to first apron of 195 mill.