After writing on Monday in a story co-reported with Shams Charania that the Warriors have made Jonathan Kuminga a three-year offer worth approximately $75MM with a third-year team option, ESPN’s Anthony Slater provided an update on those negotiations on Tuesday during an NBA Today appearance (Twitter video link).
“I actually talked to Aaron Turner, Jonathan Kuminga’s agent, this morning, and the messaging they’re adopting this week is ‘turn the TO to a PO and it’s done,'” Slater said. “… (The team option) on that three-year deal, if that’s suddenly a player option, not only will Jonathan Kuminga sign it, they’re saying, but he will be completely bought in on the mission that they’re asking of him, which is – using Turner’s messaging – to get Steph Curry and Draymond Green a fifth ring (and) Jimmy Butler his first ring.”
Reporting throughout the summer has indicated that Kuminga is seeking a contract that positions him to be more of a building block than simply a trade chip.
While the 22-year-old would prefer to be in a situation where his role is both more prominent and more defined, Slater’s report suggests he has expressed a willingness to re-sign with Golden State – where his playing time and responsibilities have been inconsistent – if he’s assured of a multiyear guarantee and the opportunity to reach the open market in two years.
“(Kuminga’s camp would view a third-year player option as) a show of goodwill…for what they’re calling ‘years of confusion’ over his role and a willingness to suppress some of his personal ambitions,” Slater said. “… (He would) accept what’s probably going to be a bench role, what’s probably going to be fluctuating minutes, and accepting what will very likely be a tradable contract.”
According to ESPN’s report on Monday, the Warriors’ only offer to Kuminga that hasn’t included a team option on the final year was a three-year proposal that averaged about $18MM annually. There would be little reason for the RFA forward to accept that offer over the version of the three-year deal that includes a team option and is worth closer to $25MM per year.
Signing the one-year, $8MM qualifying offer that comes with a no-trade clause and a path to 2026 unrestricted free agency remains an option for Kuminga until October 1 if he’s not satisfied with any of the team’s other offers.
Here’s more on Kuminga:
- Golden State’s goal of maximizing cap flexibility for the summer of 2027 has been a factor in negotiations with Kuminga and in sign-and-trade talks, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. Given their desire to keep their options open for that offseason, the Warriors have been reluctant to give Kuminga a player option for 2027/28; it’s also one reason why the club isn’t eager to acquire Malik Monk, the centerpiece of the Kings‘ sign-and-trade offer for Kuminga, who has a player option worth $21.6MM for ’27/28.
- The Kings are still under the impression that Kuminga wants to play for them, but the Warriors shut down sign-and-trade talks with Sacramento and the Suns earlier in the summer, says Amick. While it’s possible Golden State revisits those discussions at the 11th hour, league and team sources say a deal with either Pacific rival remains highly unlikely, Amick adds.
- Keith Smith of Spotrac takes a closer look at the Kuminga standoff, exploring various potential outcomes and explaining the various factors each involved party is taking into account.
The W’s are going to try to coax Steph into 2027+
by taking a strong run at a Giannis after 2026?
No one wants to play for that flabby and sick Warriors team. It’s 2025, not 2015.
Same can be said for lakers and clippers
2022 is closer to now than 2020 is to the Lakers.
Saying “flabby and sick” with a bunch of new Steph training photos just dropped where he looks absurdly jacked is nastyy, nasty work.
The ONLY reason why players don’t want to play on the #1 most valuable team in the NBA is because Steve Kerr is a bad coach to play under. At least don’t lie if you want to criticize. Curry is more ripped than you will ever be.
Jacked for what? To shoot 3’s?
To be able to drive the lane and get the and 1 by getting clobbered by every defender, as the league knows and abuses the fact that refs don’t give Steph anything even close to what Harden and SGA get? Also to play better defense. Can you cope any harder? Steph better.
They have a top 5 rotation when healthy right now. If they can get one more above avg starter, like a good 3rd option on a title team theyre in business. The biggest thing is having the depth to keep Steph and Jimmy healthy and rested.
The biggest thing contributing to the ’22 title was Steph getting hurt and returning 100% for the playoffs after a 5 week break. The only thing limiting this team is health the talent is clearly there with how this roster performed last season.
They would have walked through the Wolves if Jimmy/Steph/Podz/Moody werent all either out or severely limited by injuries. The Rockets were a better team and tougher matchup than the Wolves.
At this point I trust Moody more than I trust Kuminga.
@arc89 I trust both, I don’t trust Kerr to play them in the starting lineups with Curry to help them both understand their roles. Kuminga was the only one trying after Curry had his season ended early, how quickly we forget.
@ChapmansVacuum is your user name a Matt Chapman reference? Maybe stick to MLB my guy. Chapman’s an elite defender though, I will give it up for him on that. But yeah, your hoops takes are the opposite of elite. This isnt even a good retort – “They have a top 5 rotation when healthy right now.” brother, they dont even have 10 players on the roster, they can have the best 5 but will lose every game right now because there’s only like 7 players on the active roster lol
At least you got your other points correct. But being a Warriors fan and trying to flex on rotations or rosters is a pretty silly thing to do right this very second. GSW are going 0-82 right now because they don’t have enough actives lol
They don’t even have a top 5 rotation in the West let alone the NBA. Wildly ridiculous comment.
It’s crazy that they’re asking for more money because JK was unable to solidify himself into the rotation, as if to say it’s the team’s fault that he never developed into a central piece for a team that wants to contend.
If Golden State can somehow get anything for him, they should do it. Especially after his agent implied that he wouldn’t be fully invested for a guaranteed $50 million.
It just seems like ungrateful and unaccountable behavior by jk’s part. He clearly doesn’t want to be a warrior and would rather be a king. Grant him his mediocrity wish and move on! We need picture day Horford & GP!!
Melton is the one who is going to get us to the title if he stays healthy. We know Steph will lead but we need the supporting cast and Melton gelled perfectly last year with most of this roster.
Yeah him not understanding why this team runs its offense through Steph, and isnt going to change for him seems like just the stupidest whiny little kid behavior.
Im sorry JK you will probably never be one of the 10 greatest players of all time, and were going to build around him. I mean he has only been here a decade longer than you, dragged this franchise out of irrelevancy, and brought it 4 titles. But the 21 year old thinks hes special and it should all be about him…
Either he is clueless, or his agent is f***ing trash, or both.
Chapmn
This is really sad.
Now people are making stuff up about Kuminga. You say Kuminga doesn’t respect Steph. Wow. This has nothing to do with Steph.
I missed where Kuminga has ever complained.
Kerr even said to Kawakami that he never complained and took all his benchings well. Kerr said Kuminga was unhappy about not playing. Same with Draymond. Listen to Dray podcast yesterday. He said Kuminga never ever made trouble no matter how bad things went for him.
What did his agent do wrong? It looks like Kuminga is getting paid what he wanted. The Warriors don’t have to pay him if he’s not worth it.
From everything i have ever read about Kuminga his beef has always been with only Kerr and nobody else. He has never said anything negative about any of his team mates.
@arc89 exactly, this “attitude” claim is again, pure racism by a racist sports fan, who literally every single year in history has called a non-white player “uppity”. Same as it ever was. Exhaustingly stupid and lies, every time.
@humps, If you don’t accept that teams and players are completely self-interested, none of this will ever make sense. It’s a business, nothing more.
A player is worth what the market says he’s worth. And that’s based strictly on a predicted future, not past.
Neither party (as you say) “owes” the other anything, nor do they think the other is “ungrateful” for the past.
So instead of a team option they want a player option that shifts to a big advantage for Kuminga. How about a straight 2 year deal. No third option year so its even on both of them or a player/team option? Only way warriors agree to a PO if there is no trade clause so they can trade him.
Please don’t say the warriors should trade him to kings or suns because both those trades are bad trades with warriors taking on a bad contract.
OR the Warriors were always going to give 3 years and a player option, and all this grandstanding was a tactic both sides agreed to do from day 1. Look at what Draymond said about the situation “The deal will always get done in the end.” – because that was always the plan. The thing GSW wanted to see happen was another team blinking and offering a better-fitting near star-level player + a 1st rd pick to GSW, but all they got offered were lowball offers for Dario Saric and 2nd rders. So they re-up JK anyway. JK officially said he is not sitting out if the player option is there is huge. JK as a bench player this year still has massive value plus injuries happen which will provide him lots of playing time, as long as Kerr doesn’t do anything stupid.
I wouldn’t give in to making year 3 a PO under any circumstances. JK holds no leverage this offseason already, and he’s never proven he can play a consistent role. I know he and his management team continue to say that his role has been confusing and inconsistent, but you need to adapt to any situation to prove you deserve the big bucks.
@greg1 I don’t know what is worse: GSW not knowing how to develop players, or you not understanding GSW does not know how to develop players and think its the players fault that Kerr gives him different instructions every game and then benches him when he tries to play his natural game.
Davey the dumby strikes again.
If you dont understand why JK is the problem with JKs development after this little masterpiece of his…
Just cause you hate Kerr doesnt mean JK hasnt been wildly out of step with his place on this team, and what a player in their first few seasons is entitled too. He isnt from that background, but man does he ever act like a nepo baby.
This word “entitled” keeps getting thrown around about any young player and it immediately makes your argument worthless. Knock that dumby stuff off.
Kuminga is nothing but smiles, 24-7 – you live in a fantasy world.
@aristotle yes, I myself have always thought Kuminga was going to get extended, and this was all a long play by GSW because so many teams were handcuffed this offseason, they just really wanted to make sure there was no way to improve over Kuminga this offseason, and now they know. Kuminga’s opening request was literally 3/75 +1 PO. GSW has folded on every aspect and always was going to fold. They just wanted to stretch out the offseason because why not?
I also don’t expect Kuminga to be a star next year! I think he will keep coming into his own until his mid-20s, like so many players do. Then, we will know who he is in this league. It is now too early to tell, but Kerr could have made it happen sooner if he was good at developing players, which he himself admits he does not know how to do.
It looks like Warriors fans on this board will remain forever split on JK, but if he signs this multi-year deal at $25M/yr, regardless of the third year oprion, then I believe the team will have decided in his favor.
Hopefully, we’ll then have better things to talk about :–)
> If you dont understand why JK is the problem with
> JKs development after this little masterpiece of
> his…
Chap, are you having a bad day? Are you advocating indentured servitude? He’s a free agent, and he should act in his own economic interest. And it looks like it was the right approach judging by the Warriors’ concessions.
Are you suggesting he should have signed earlier, at lesser terms, because that would benefit the team more? Do you you believe the Warriors weren’t playing hardball?
Oh would you look at that, mainstream media reporting GSW is clearing space for either Joker or Giannis! Wow, I guess this wasn’t just a thing I made up, all along! You all were wrong, trying to prove me wrong. Cool!
I’d do
4-year $94 mm with team option at 4th
68 + 26 = 94
It has to be tradable, never overpaid
Sillivan !!!
Where have you been ????
I’ve missed your voice of reason usually nestled here amongst all the chaos in the warrior article comment sections of HR !!
Off season, I don’t talk much as usual
Kuminga is just using the Kings to better his offer with the Warriors. He is NOT coming here !!
Joker and Giannis arent reaching FA. They will either extend or be traded and extend. Thats how the NBA works now. Every time teams lineup cap space for the big FA they all extend first. Not one has reached FA since ’19.
So will you delete your account if this PREDICTION (not fact) you are making here does not come true?
@Chap, that’s an uncharacteristically pessimistic take re our chances on Giannis. I’m bummed. What happened?
Phew, it will be all over by October 1st!