The Warriors are stuck in a standoff with Jonathan Kuminga as trade talks stall
Golden State has been trying to work out a sign-and-trade deal for restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, but they haven’t made much progress, according to The Athletic’s Fred Katz.
Two teams have emerged as the frontrunners in the Kuminga sweepstakes.
The Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns are pushing hardest to land the young forward, Anthony Slater of The Athletic reported Friday on ESPN. But Golden State’s asking price is holding things up.
What do the Warriors want? At least a first-round draft pick and a young player – without taking on any bad contracts in return. That’s a pretty steep price for most teams.
Kuminga isn’t just sitting around waiting, though. He actually met with the Kings this week.
“Kuminga had contact with the Kings in the last couple of days,” Slater said. “It was the first time he’s communicated with Scott Perry, Doug Christie and B.J. Armstrong. And from what I’ve gathered, he liked the pitch that Scott Perry gave. He’s open-minded to the idea of Sacramento.”
The Kings’ pitch centered around something Kuminga really wants – a starting role and more playing time than he’s getting with the Warriors. That’s a big part of why he’s looking elsewhere.
“Jonathan Kuminga isn’t just looking for the exact contract he wants in free agency. He’s looking for the opportunity he wants on the court,” Slater explained.
Both the Kings and Suns have made “concrete offers” to the Warriors, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. They’re not just offering trade packages – they’re promising Kuminga “significant minutes and a starting-caliber role.”
The Suns tried to include Grayson Allen’s contract in their trade proposal, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported. That’s likely a non-starter for the Warriors, who don’t want to take on additional salary.
Sacramento has reportedly put together packages including Devin Carter, Dario Saric, and Malik Monk in talks for Kuminga this summer. So far, Golden State hasn’t bitten.
Kuminga became a free agent after his four-year, $28.9 million rookie deal expired. The Warriors made him a restricted free agent by extending a one-year, $7.9 million qualifying offer in June.
If he accepts that qualifying offer, Kuminga could become an unrestricted free agent next summer. But that would mean playing another year at well below his market value.
According to Slater, Kuminga would sign a five-year, $150 million contract if anyone offered it. That’s about $30 million per year – nearly four times what he’d make on the qualifying offer.
The ball is now in Golden State’s court. Do they lower their asking price, or risk losing their former lottery pick for nothing next summer?
