Warriors $75M Pitch Fails to Sway Kuminga As Season Looms

The Warriors have increased their offer to Jonathan Kuminga. The 22-year-old forward isn’t budging.

According to an ESPN report, Golden State offered a three-year, $75.2 million contract to Kuminga last week. At an average annual value of $25 million per season, it’s ostensibly the largest offer the Warriors have presented Kuminga, but it comes with only two years, $48.3 million in guaranteed money due to a team option in the third year.

Golden State had reportedly offered Kuminga a two-year, $45 million deal that had just one guaranteed year and a team option in the second season. They also offered him a three-year deal with no options, but the total contract was just $54 million ($18 million annually). 

Kuminga and his representatives have been averse to a deal including team options. They have reportedly even preferred a one-year deal that would be above the $8 million qualifying offer he could sign. That would make Kuminga an unrestricted free agent next year while still allowing the Warriors the opportunity to trade him midseason. Players on qualifying contracts can veto trades.

Golden State, however, is also worried about losing the former lottery pick for nothing in the 2026 offseason. That leaves the two sides without a resolution, and training camp is just two weeks away.

Other Suitors

Kuminga could have received a larger deal from the Suns or Kings, both of whom were reportedly ready to offer a long-term deal to the forward following a sign-and-trade with the Warriors. Golden State declined the offers.

Phoenix, which traded away Kevin Durant in June, offered Royce O’Neale and second-round compensation to the Warriors for Kuminga. They would have signed Kuminga to a four-year deal worth $80 million to $88 million ($20 million to $22 million annually).

Sacramento’s deal for Kuminga would have been for just three years, but at $63 million to $66 million total, the former G League Ignite product would have received similar money annually to Phoenix’s offer. The Kings were prepared to send a future first-round pick and Malik Monk to Golden State.

In Comparison

Kuminga is one of four key restricted free agents whose negotiations dragged deep into the summer. However, two of them found resolutions in the past two weeks—including Josh Giddey, who was selected one pick before Kuminga in the 2021 NBA draft.

Giddey agreed to a four-year, $100 million deal with the Bulls last week, all of which is guaranteed. At $25 million per year, the average annual value of the contract is similar to what Kuminga will receive from the Warriors in their latest offer. But Kuminga will get less than half of Giddey’s guaranteed money.

On the other hand, Nets guard Cam Thomas could not find a long-term solution. Thomas settled for a $6 million qualifying offer that will make him an unrestricted free agent next year.