Jonathan Kuminga, one way or another, will play a big role in the Warriors’ offseason.
Golden State likely will either pay him in the form of a lucrative contact, or facilitate with the restricted free agent a sign-and-trade deal that lands the Warriors additional players/assets.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks joined 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs” on Monday and explained why Kuminga not only is the Warriors’ biggest storyline this summer, but also why the outcome of his restricted free agency pretty much controls what Golden State’s offseason looks like.
“It all depends on Kuminga,” Marks said. “He basically controls free agency in Golden State. If they sign him to a contract and bring him back, then that’s really it as far as what they can do in the offseason. They might have one of their smaller exceptions and everything here. And then you look at the rest of the roster, and it’s like, OK, is it [Buddy] Hield? Is it Brandin [Podziemski]? Is it some of those other players? Guys that are not making that much money.”
In addition to signing Kuminga to a long-term contract and the sign-and-trade outcomes, the young forward, as a restricted free agent, can agree to an offer sheet with another NBA team, which the Warriors have an opportunity to match. If they choose not to, Kuminga can sign elsewhere. Kuminga also could sign the $7.9 million qualifying offer the Warriors are likely to offer him, keeping him under contract for one more year at that figure before he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer. However, that option is highly unlikely.
It appears the Warriors either will sign Kuminga to a long-term contract, which will leave them with very little financial flexibility in free agency, or facilitate a sign-and-trade that brings in a player(s) that are a better fit in coach Steve Kerr’s rotations.
Regardless of which direction they go in with the 22-year-old this summer, his contract situation should play a big role in what the Warriors’ roster looks like for the 2025-25 NBA season.
