Golden State’s Shocking Lowball Offer to Kuminga Sparks Tension Ahead of Contract Deadline

Kuminga and the Warriors may be a marriage of convenience to start the season, but it may be the only option for the two sides that makes any sense.

This has Kuminga and his representatives still looking for a sign-and-trade, and they spoke recently with the Kings’ front office, reports Anthony Slater of ESPN. Theoretically, Sacramento could offer a contract closer to Kuminga’s desired terms, along with a larger role in the offense. However, assembling a sign-and-trade deal with Golden State would be a challenge. At best. The Warriors want a first-round pick and a promising young player in any trade for Kuminga, plus they don’t want to take back any long-term bad contracts. It’s unlikely any team would give up a first-round pick for Kuminga at this point, at least one that wasn’t heavily protected. As for the young player, the Kings are not deep with those kinds of guys. Sacramento isn’t surrendering Keegan Murray, so that leaves players such as Devin Carter or just-drafted Nique Clifford, and the Kings aren’t eager to include them either.The challenge is that Steve Kerr will have to highlight Kuminga and give him a real chance — and stick with him through some mistakes. That’s challenging on a roster with Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler as primary ball handlers and the guys who should have the ball in their hands. Plus, Kuminga is really best at the four, but that is Draymond Green’s slot, and Kerr can’t play Kuminga (30.5% from 3 last season) and Green (32.5%) together because of the lack of shooting. This likely gets resolved closer to the start of training camp, with Kuminga accepting the very tradable two-year contract but at a slightly higher price point than has been offered (not wrapping up Kuminga has the Warriors in limbo, not having signed guys lined up already such as Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton, because they need to see where they are after the Kuminga signing). There are other restricted free agents still hanging out in the wind without a contract, but none have been quite as dramatic as the stalemate between Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors.Restricted free agency in the NBA often brings tension, drama, and a whole lot of negotiation shuffles — but the standoff between Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors might just take the crown for this offseason’s most gripping saga. The Warriors have dangled a two-year, million offer in front of Kuminga, yet the young forward, aiming for a longer, more lucrative deal—around three years and near million annually—is holding out for better terms. Behind the scenes, whispers of a potential sign-and-trade with the Sacramento Kings have stirred, though orchestrating such a deal seems about as easy as threading a needle in a hurricane. The Warriors want prime assets in return, while the Kings guard their young talent closely, making this a classic clash of wills and strategy. As training camp looms, all eyes remain glued to how this chess match resolves, and whether coach Steve Kerr can carve out a significant role for Kuminga amidst a roster brimming with ball handlers and positional challenges. It’s shaping up to be less a love story and more a marriage of sheer convenience—but hey, in pro sports, that’s often where the real action lies. LEARN MOREThe Warriors’ offers to Kuminga have topped out at two years, million, reports Marc Stein in his Substack. That is well short of the at least three years and closer to million a season that Kuminga reportedly is seeking.