The Basketball Team, the Warriors, Risk Igniting Restrictions in the Unrestricted Free Agency with Jonathan Kuminga
Golden State Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga in Contract Standoff
The Golden State Warriors and restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga are locked in a contract dispute, with the latest offer from the Warriors being a two-year, $45 million deal with a team option for the second year. However, Kuminga has expressed a desire for a player option or no-trade clause, which the Warriors have been unwilling to grant [1][5].
If Kuminga were to accept the Warriors' qualifying offer—a one-year, $7.9 million contract—he would play the 2023-24 season under that deal but gain the right to veto any trade involving him that season [2][3][4]. This would severely limit the Warriors’ ability to trade him midseason and would result in losing his Bird rights after that season, reducing the team's leverage to re-sign him under favorable salary cap conditions. Consequently, by the time he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2026, the Warriors would face the likelihood of losing him without any sign-and-trade leverage or salary cap exceptions to retain him. This scenario makes it difficult for the Warriors to control Kuminga’s future or receive significant trade value, potentially forcing them to keep a player they may not want long-term or lose him for nothing the following year.
On the other hand, if Kuminga signs a two-year deal with a second-year team option and waives his implied no-trade clause, the Warriors could trade him to the team of their choosing starting on Jan. 15 [6]. A three-year deal would give Kuminga two guaranteed years on his contract, removing his ability to veto any trade this season [7]. A three-year deal with a team option for around $22-23 million per year might be a reasonable compromise for both sides, aligning Kuminga's contract with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler's deals [8].
It's worth noting that the Brooklyn Nets are currently the only team with significant salary-cap space, but they have yet to express real interest in signing Kuminga to a bloated offer sheet [9]. If Kuminga's new team declines his option, that would limit how much it could spend to re-sign him in free agency, as they would only have non-Bird rights on him [10].
The Warriors have begun signaling a plan to cut off sign-and-trade conversations entirely, using their restricted free agency leverage to the fullest [11]. As the deadline for Kuminga to accept or decline the qualifying offer approaches, both sides might be courting disaster if they continue to disagree on contract terms.
References:
- NBA.com
- ESPN.com
- The Athletic
- Sports Illustrated
- Yahoo Sports
- Forbes
- SB Nation
- The Ringer
- Bleacher Report
- CBS Sports
- NBC Sports Bay Area
- The NBA standoff between the Golden State Warriors and restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga continues, as Kuminga seeks a player option or no-trade clause in his contract.
- The ongoing contract dispute between Kuminga and the Warriors could impact the team's future roster, as they weigh the benefits of a long-term deal versus potential trade value.
