Jonathan Kuminga

Latest On Jonathan Kuminga

Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga is set to hit restricted free agency this summer after an up-and-down fourth season in Golden State. As Anthony Slater of The Athletic details, Kuminga’s future with the Warriors is uncertain due a number of factors.

League sources tell Slater that Kuminga still views himself as a future All-Star and is trying to find a home where he can have an expansive offensive role to showcase his abilities. The 22 year-old forward had a rocky playoff run, having been outside of the rotation for most of the first-round series against Houston, only to have a featured role in the second-round series vs. Minnesota after Stephen Curry sustained a hamstring strain.

Kuminga was an effective and efficient scorer (24.3 PPG on .554/.389/.720 shooting) in those four games against a strong defense, Slater notes, giving some credence to the notion that the former lottery pick could put up big individual numbers under the right conditions. And despite some differences of opinion in how Kuminga sees — and values — himself and the way the team has wanted him to play, none of the differences between the involved parties are “irreconcilable,” according to Slater’s sources.

However, Kuminga may not be able to achieve his individual goals playing for the Warriors, who are trying to build out a championship roster around Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler. The “cleanest path” forward might be finding a sign-and-trade that could work for both the Warriors and Kuminga, Slater writes.

As Slater observes, head coach Steve Kerr has long hoped Kuminga would become a Shawn Marion-type player — someone who can excel without the ball, defend multiple positions, and rebound at a high level. But Kuminga is more of a ball-dominant scorer who is inconsistent in other areas, making his on-court fit in Kerr’s system an awkward one at times.

While the Nets are not currently expected to give Kuminga an offer sheet, Brooklyn may be open to the idea of multi-team sign-and-trade scenarios this offseason as a means to maximize its cap space, league sources tell Slater. That could give the Warriors, Kuminga, Nets and interested suitors a mutually beneficial way of finding something they’re all seeking.

The problem with a potential sign-and-trade, Slater explains, is that Kuminga will be subject to base year compensation rules, and the Warriors would be hard-capped at the first apron if they take back more than 50% of Kuminga’s starting salary. While everyone involved is “expected to explore all options,” due to the aforementioned restrictions, Warriors sources have been dropping hints to Slater that the “most obvious and prudent path” might be simply re-signing Kuminga.

Going that route would give Golden State more time to assess Kuminga’s fit, and the base-year restrictions would be removed in that scenario in January, when Kuminga would theoretically become trade-eligible.

Owner Joe Lacob is known to be a big fan of Kuminga’s and told the young forward to stay open-minded about a potential return, according to Slater, who hears Kuminga “hasn’t slammed the door shut” on that possibility. The Warriors have final say due to Kuminga being a RFA, but Slater suggests Kuminga might not be thrilled with a reunion unless certain circumstances change.

CBA Observations: Kuminga, D. Robinson, Cavs, Frozen Picks

While the NBA's current Collective Bargaining Agreement technically went into effect in 2023, many of the rules affecting tax apron teams weren't fully implemented until 2024. As a result, last summer was a crash course for teams, fans, and reporters alike on those new rules, giving us our first look at the impact they'll have on team-building going forward.

With the 2024/25 season under our belts, we're better equipped entering the 2025 offseason to assess how those new rules - and some old ones - will affect teams' ability to make trades and sign free agents this summer. Still, I've seen some confusion and misrepresentation regarding a few specific rules as speculation about offseason roster moves begins to heat up this spring, so we'll use the space below today to provide clarity on some of those issues.

Let's dive in...


A potential Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade

With Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga headed for restricted free agency this offseason after playing an inconsistent role in his fourth NBA season, there has been a good deal of speculation already about whether Golden State will attempt to recoup value for Kuminga via a sign-and-trade rather than simply re-signing him or matching a rival offer sheet.

I'm not here today to weigh the merits of one path vs. the other. I just want to examine what it would look like from a practical perspective if the Warriors do sign-and-trade Kuminga, since the base year compensation rule would come into play.

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Draymond Green Discusses Decision On Jonathan Kuminga, Offseason Plans

Warriors forward Draymond Green addressed several topics related to the team in his latest podcast, including an upcoming decision on restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga (hat tip to BasketNews).

Kuminga was an impact player for Golden State early in the season, but his role diminished after the team traded for Jimmy Butler in early February. His minutes declined once he returned from an extended absence caused a severe right ankle sprain, and he was barely used in the playoffs until injuries to Butler and Stephen Curry opened up opportunities.

The fourth-year forward is only 22 and provides athleticism and physicality that the Warriors need. However, there are concerns about playing him alongside Green and Butler because none of them are accomplished three-point shooters.

Green admitted it would be a “huge financial commitment” to bring back Kuminga, who is likely to get a significant offer if he reaches the open market. He also singled out Kuminga for dealing with the uncertainty surrounding his playing time and for thanking coach Steve Kerr in his exit interview for helping him develop as a player.

“I love the way he handled it … that was such a responsible, great, well-thought answer,” Green said. “He will get paid here, or he will get paid somewhere else.”

Green talked about the team’s collection of young talent in general, also mentioning Brandin PodziemskiMoses MoodyTrayce Jackson-DavisGui Santos and Quinten Post. He said they all made progress during the season, but acknowledged that several of them may not return.

“When I look at our young guys, they all show promise,” Green said, “… but just off sheer numbers and the way this business works, probably not all will be back.”

It was an up-and-down season for the Warriors, who started off slowly, then surged once they acquired Butler. They narrowly missed a top-six spot in the West, then defeated Memphis in the play-in tournament and Houston in the first round before being ousted by Minnesota in five games.

Green expects his team to be back in title contention next season and said he, Curry and Butler will provide input to management on possible offseason moves.

“You just got to have a conversation … what can be seen from the stands or from some numbers — it ain’t always what it seems,” he said. “We’ll be in the weeds … trying to make it all make sense. The goals will be the goals — trying to win a championship. I stand on that 100%.”

Warriors’ Dunleavy, Kerr Discuss Kuminga’s Free Agency

The Warriors are heading into a pivotal offseason as they look to put together a roster that can help stars Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler compete at the highest level possible.

On Friday, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. spoke about one of the biggest questions facing the team in that effort: what to do with the talented but inconsistent wing, Jonathan Kuminga, who will be a restricted free agent this summer.

As far as bringing him back next season, I think it’s something we’re very interested in doing because, when I look at the things JK does well, in terms of getting to the rim, finishing, getting fouled, these are things we greatly need,” Dunleavy said, as reported by ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.

Team owner Joe Lacob‘s well-chronicled appreciation for Kuminga works in favor of the 22-year-old from the Congo remaining with the Warriors. However, Dunleavy was far from definitive when he discussed Kuminga’s future in the Bay.

I know how we can work with him better,” Dunleavy said. “But in terms of guessing how it’s all going to play out or what the contract might look like or sign-and-trades and things like that, honestly, I’d be totally guessing at this point to conjecture on anything.”

Assuming they tender him an $8MM qualifying offer as expected, the Warriors could negotiate a new multiyear deal with Kuminga, let him seek an offer sheet with another team, or work out a sign-and-trade deal to send him elsewhere. He could also choose to accept his QO, which would put him in track for unrestricted free agency in 2026.

Kuminga’s role fluctuated throughout the season, as well as in the playoffs, but Curry’s injury in the first round opened the door for him to receive major minutes and he made the most of the opportunity, despite the Warriors falling to the Timberwolves in five games. In his final four outings, he averaged 31 minutes per night and put up 24.3 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 38.9% from three and racking up 6.3 free throw attempts per game.

Head coach Steve Kerr admitted earlier this spring that he had trouble using Kuminga alongside Butler and Draymond Green, but indicated on Friday that he’ll exercise more patience exploring lineup fits for the 6’8″ forward should he remain on the roster.

If JK comes back, we will, for sure, spend the early part of the season playing him with Jimmy, Draymond, Steph,” Kerr said. “To me, that would be a no-brainer. We didn’t have that luxury this year.”

Kerr and Dunleavy ended their press conference by reiterating that they believe the roster has championship potential while acknowledging that changes will likely have to be made. The Warriors’ GM didn’t close the door on the idea of giving up young players and draft picks to pursue another impact player after adding Butler in February, but suggested the front office would be wary of moves that could hurt the team in the long run.

We’re good giving up whatever it takes,” Dunleavy said. “It just depends how good we think that will make our team. I think the only issue with mortgaging the future is you just don’t want to get caught. I don’t want to get caught in a situation where we give up a ton, put all our chips in, and then 10 games into the season, we have a catastrophic injury, there’s nowhere to go, and then we’re stuck for four or five years.”

Warriors Notes: Curry, Butler, Green, Kuminga, Podziemski

The Warriors were eliminated from the playoffs on Wednesday, falling to the Timberwolves in Game 5 of their second-round series. After taking Game 1, Golden State was without Stephen Curry for all four of its losses in the Western Conference semifinals. Would the outcome of the series have been different if Curry hadn’t been sidelined by a strained hamstring?

“I am pretty positive that if we had Steph, we’d have won this series,” team owner Joe Lacob told Anthony Slater and Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic after the game.

“I don’t even have to think what (if),” head coach Steve Kerr said when asked whether he’ll wonder what the Warriors could have done with a healthy Curry (story via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN). “I know we had a shot. I know we could have gone the distance. Maybe we wouldn’t have, but it doesn’t matter. Again, everything in the playoffs is about who stays healthy and who gets hot. Are you playing well at the right time?”

As Slater and Thompson note, the sentiment expressed by Lacob in particular is notable, since it suggests the Warriors believe in this group and don’t intend to seriously shake up the roster. Team sources tell The Athletic that the conversations within the front office entering the summer have been about how best to complement Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green, not about trying to acquire another star.

“On the surface, that’s why (Butler) signed for two more years — our belief we can make it work,” Curry said. “And we’ve proven that the last three months. Just gotta figure out what is going to get us to the next level as a whole. One guy can’t win it. Two guys can’t win it. It’s gotta be a team.”

The plan is for Kerr and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. to return as well, per Slater and Thompson, who write that Warriors ownership remains fully confident in its coaching staff and front office.

“I have a great coach and I have a great GM,” Lacob told The Athletic. “I have no problems with anything in respect to them. Mike made a fantastic trade (for Butler). Before we made that trade, we were one game under .500 and it didn’t look like we were going anywhere.

“We won a first-round series against a very good up-and-coming team with a lot of athleticism and size. I thought it was a hell of a win. Got us pretty tired probably for this series, and maybe that was just too much to overcome. In that first game (against Minnesota), Steph looked like he was going to cook, right? But what are we going to do? Stuff happens.”

For his part, Kerr also expressed enthusiasm about the Warriors going forward: “I’m excited. We’ve got Jimmy and Dray and Steph all coming back. Our young players performed really well. There’s a lot to look forward to.”

Here’s more on Golden State:

  • Lacob remains one of Jonathan Kuminga‘s biggest fans, according to Slater and Thompson, who say it’s “nearly impossible” to believe the Warriors owner would let the restricted free agent forward sign an offer sheet with another team and leave for nothing this summer. A new deal for Kuminga and the Warriors is still on the table, sources tell The Athletic, though both sides are also expected to consider sign-and-trade scenarios.
  • “There are certainly things he has to improve on, but he’s 22 years old,” Lacob said of Kuminga. “He’s got a hell of a lot of potential, and I would think he would be a part of our future plans. Now we’ll have to see how the market all shakes out. We have a lot of evaluating to do. Not me necessarily. But everybody — from coaching staff to basketball operations. We’ll kind of sit around and talk about how we want to construct the team for next year and what the situation is with respect to him.”
  • The Warriors’ decision to resist trade offers for Brandin Podziemski last offseason wasn’t unanimous within the organization, per Slater and Thompson. Some of the people who were in favor of gauging Podziemski’s market believe the team needs “more of a Jordan Poole-type play-maker,” The Athletic’s duo says. The front office also believes Golden State needs more positional size at multiple spots, Slater and Thompson add.
  • Green said after the Game 5 loss that he’s “100 percent” confident the Warriors’ young players are capable of taking “the next step,” writes Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. Lacob also said he thinks Golden State’s younger contributors can take “yet another leap” and defended them from online criticism. “I get very upset when I read all this crap on the internet, these comments by people, you know, ‘This guy’s crap. That guy’s crap. The drafts were terrible.’ Bull—t!” the Warriors’ owner told The Athletic. “Our drafts were not bad at all. These guys are very young. They’ve had to fit into a very difficult situation with experienced players. It’s not like they can just go out and put up numbers. So I think we’ve drafted very well. We’ve got some good young players.”
  • ESPN’s Bobby Marks and HoopsHype’s Mark Deeks have published their Warriors offseason previews, looking ahead to how the team might handle Kuminga’s restricted free agency, as well as making note of other veteran free agents, like Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II.

Warriors Provide Formal Update On Stephen Curry

Having already ruled out Stephen Curry for Game 5 of their second-round series vs. Minnesota, the Warriors put out a press release today providing an additional update on their star guard following a reevaluation of his injury (Twitter link).

Curry, who has been sidelined for the last three games (all Golden State losses) due to a left hamstring strain, is making “good progress” in his recovery, according to the Warriors. The club says he has been cleared to take part in light on-court workouts, including shooting drills.

The plan is for Curry to be reevaluated on Saturday, per the team. Game 6, which was previously identified as “the earliest potential window” for the 37-year-old to return, is scheduled for Sunday.

Of course, if the Warriors can’t figure out a way to win Game 5 without Curry in Minnesota on Tuesday, their season would be over, which would seriously reduce the short-term significance of that Saturday examination.

With Curry still unavailable tonight, the Warriors figure to continue leaning heavily on Jimmy Butler and Jonathan Kuminga as their go-to scorers. Kuminga, who was out of the rotation for most of the first round of the playoffs, has averaged 23.7 points per game on .595/.444/.773 shooting in the three games since Curry went down.

Warriors Notes: Kuminga, Butler, Curry, Green

Jonathan Kuminga has been a forgotten man in the Warriors‘ rotation for the last few months, but he was at his best in Saturday’s Game 3 loss to Minnesota, writes Ron Kroichick of The San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required). Kuminga was given 36 minutes off the bench — the first time he’s topped 30 minutes since December — and delivered 30 points to help keep the game close. At plus-five, he was the only Golden State player who finished the game with a positive plus-minus rating.

“JK played one of the best games of his life,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He was fantastic. You can see how necessary he is in this matchup, especially without (Stephen Curry). … I’ve just been impressed with the way he’s handled things the last couple of weeks, the way he’s stayed ready and put in the work.”

As Kroichick points out, it’s been a difficult season for Kuminga since the calendar flipped to 2025. He suffered a severe right ankle sprain on January 4 that sidelined him for about two months. The Warriors traded for Jimmy Butler in early February, so Kuminga’s role was greatly diminished once he returned. Kerr kept him on the bench for a season finale that was crucial for seeding and for a play-in victory against Memphis. He saw limited action in the first-round series against Houston, and his confidence was clearly affected by his time out of the lineup.

There were no signs of that on Saturday, as he looked like the aggressive young star in the making from early in the season. He shot 11-of-18 from the field, hit three of his four three-point attempts and threw down a dunk over Anthony Edwards. He also grabbed six rebounds, handed out three assists and hounded Edwards on defense.

“I feel like the better the player (he’s guarding), the better defense he plays,” said veteran big man Kevon Looney, who Kroichick says has been teaming with Draymond Green to serve as mentors for Kuminga.

Kuminga’s inspired performance will give the Warriors plenty to consider as he enters restricted free agency this summer. Despite his reduced role and questions about his fit alongside Butler and Green, he’s only 22 on a team that needs to develop young talent. Teammates and coaches have said he’s handled the demotion well, according to Kroichick, and he’s continued to compete hard in scrimmages involving the team’s reserves.

There’s more on the Warriors:

  • With Curry sidelined by a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, Golden State is leaning more heavily on Butler than at any time since the trade, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. He played 43 minutes on Saturday, even though he aggravated a glute injury he suffered in the opening round, posting 33 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Butler also made the case that he and Kuminga can be a successful combination. “Like I tell everybody, me and him can thrive together,” Butler said. “I know how to space the floor. I can tell him, ‘Hey, when I have the ball, you go here and you do this.’ We talk. We listen to one another. I know that he’s going to be a huge part of us winning on Monday.”
  • Curry went through a strenuous pregame workout that included medium-speed shooting and a stationary bike, Slater adds. A source tells Slater that Curry never attempted to reach full speed or cut, which are steps he’ll have to achieve before being cleared to play. A report Saturday night indicated that Curry’s best chance to return will be next Sunday’s Game 6 if the Warriors can extend the series that long.
  • Timberwolves president Tim Connelly reached out to Green after a Game 2 incident in Minnesota that resulted in the ejection of a fan, tweets Marc J. Spears of Andscape.

Warriors Notes: Kuminga, Jackson-Davis, Butler, Rotations

As the Warriors navigate the loss of Stephen Curry to a “tricky” hamstring strain, head coach Steve Kerr is going to have to reshape the game plan on the fly. That includes opening up minutes to players who might not have gotten as many opportunities otherwise.

There’s no Steph. It’s a completely different team,” Kerr said, per The Athletic’s Anthony Slater (via Twitter). He pointed at two players in particular who will play a part in the team’s Game 3 approach: Jonathan Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis.

Everything has to be about finding a new formula and [Kuminga] is absolutely a part of that formula,” he said.

Kuminga only played 50 total minutes in the Warriors’ seven-game series against the Rockets, but with Curry down, he logged 26 minutes in Game 2 against the Timberwolves, scoring 18 points on 11 shots. With few offensive options outside of Jimmy Butler and Brandin Podziemski, Kuminga’s ability to score and pressure the rim will be important to keeping the offense running.

When it comes to Jackson-Davis, Kerr said, “[He] showed he can be effective against this team,” referencing the second-year center’s 15-point, six-rebound performance in just 19 minutes in Game 2. Jackson-Davis has only played more than six minutes twice in this postseason, but Curry’s injury means the team is leaning more into its defensive personnel.

Here are more Warriors notes:

  • The Warriors have spent years trying to mold Kuminga into the team-first player they want him to be, with mixed results, but now they’ll have to rely on him playing like the star-in-the-making he considers himself, writes The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson II. As long as Curry is out, Kuminga has a runway to prove himself both now and for the future, with restricted free agency around the corner. “This has not been an easy stretch for (him),” Kerr said after Game 2. “He really came out there and did a great job today and showed what he’s made of. Obviously, he’ll be back out there in Game 3. We’re gonna need him.”
  • Jimmy Butler admitted after Game 2 that he’s still feeling the effects of the hard fall he took in the first round against Houston, which resulted in him being diagnosed with a pelvic contusion (Twitter video link via Slater). Butler has shot 39.4% from the field through two games against the Wolves, though in typical fashion, his contributions extend across the box score — he has averaged nine rebounds and six assists per night.
  • The Warriors are the first team in NBA history to use 14 players in the first half of a playoff game, Slater writes for The Athletic. This was part of a broader push from Kerr and the coaching staff to throw different things at the wall to see what sticks while not overtaxing their remaining stars. “We went into the game thinking we’d play a lot of people short-burst minutes, try to protect Jimmy and Draymond,” Kerr said. “They’ve been playing huge minutes every other day, flying all over the country. We had to weigh that.” That approach included going away from the struggling Quinten Post and Moses Moody, whom the team had turned to in the previous series, in favor of Kuminga and Jackson-Davis. Expect Kerr to continue searching for combinations and riding hot hands as the team looks to manufacture offense and stay alive until Curry can return.

Warriors Notes: Butler, Lineup Changes, Looney, Kuminga, Game 7

The Warriors missed two chances to close out their first-round series with the Rockets, but they remain confident going into Sunday’s Game 7, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Golden State was blown out in Game 5 and watched Houston pull away in the fourth quarter of Game 6, but there were no signs of panic in the locker room after Friday’s loss.

“We’re good. We’re smiling,” Jimmy Butler said. “We’re listening to our music, celebrating life. We’re ready to compete. We were ready to compete tonight. Things didn’t go our way. OK, we’re going to be ready to compete on Sunday. We’re going to make the game go our way.”

The Warriors believe their experience in high-stakes games will ultimately decide the series, Youngmisuk adds. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green have a 3-2 record in seventh games during their time together, with the last one coming in 2023 when they won handily at Sacramento. Butler has been in four Game 7s, going 2-2.

Many of the Rockets’ core players are going through their first playoff experience, but Youngmisuk notes that they have some veterans who’ve been in this situation before. Jeff Green, Steven Adams, Fred VanVleet and Aaron Holiday have collectively been in 10 seventh games.

There’s more on the Warriors:

  • Steve Kerr made two changes to his starting lineup before Game 6 — replacing Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski with Buddy Hield and Gary Payton II — and he might consider revising it again on Sunday, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Slater explains that Golden State is trying to get Alperen Sengun involved in actions involving Curry, but the zones Houston has been employing are making it easier for Sengun to avoid that matchup. Slater suggests that Kevon Looney could see more time to battle against Adams after playing just two minutes on Friday.
  • Kerr said putting Jonathan Kuminga back into the rotation is “100 percent on the table” for Game 7 (Twitter video link from Slater). Kuminga has made just two appearances in the series, logging 26 minutes in a Game 2 loss and 17 minutes in a Game 3 win.
  • Butler dismissed concerns that the veteran Warriors are being worn down by a younger, more athletic opponent, per Ann Killion of The San Francisco Chronicle. “We’ll be all right,” Butler said. “I’m 35, I can’t remember how old Steph is (37), Dray is 35, too. Everybody’s got to travel the same distance. Ain’t like we’re going to go around the world and land in Houston and they got only a five-minute flight to Houston. They’ve got to travel just like we’ve got to travel.”

Warriors’ Jimmy Butler To Miss Game 3

Jimmy Butler will be inactive tonight as the Warriors host the Rockets in Game 3 of their playoff series, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). Butler is recovering from a deep gluteal muscle contusion that knocked him out of Game 2 in the first quarter.

Butler had been listed as questionable and was expected to be a game-time decision. With his status leaking more than an hour before tip-off, he may not have been close to getting medical clearance from the training staff.

Butler was a huge presence in Golden State’s Game 1 win at Houston, finishing with 25 points, seven rebounds, six assists and five steals in 42 minutes. He only played eight minutes in Game 2 before landing hard on his back after a collision with the Rockets’ Amen Thompson (Twitter video link).

On Friday, coach Steve Kerr told reporters that Butler is “day-to-day” and described it as a “pain tolerance thing.” Butler tried to stay in Game 2 after the hard fall, but was in obvious discomfort and had difficulty moving.

Game 4 is set for Monday, so Butler will have just one more night off to recover.

Jonathan Kuminga will take Butler’s place in the starting lineup tonight, Charania adds. The fourth-year forward sat out the Warriors’ play-in game and the series opener, but he was on the court for 26 minutes in Game 2 after Butler’s injury, contributing 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting and hitting two of his five three-point attempts.

Kuminga will get another chance to impress Warriors management before becoming a restricted free agent this summer. He averaged 15.3 points and 4.6 rebounds in 47 games this season, but saw his playing time drop sharply after Butler was acquired at the trade deadline.

Rookie center Quinten Post will also start, according to Charania (Twitter link). Post hit 4-of-8 three-point shots in Game 2 and finished with 12 points in 25 minutes.