Draymond Green is putting his former teammate on notice.
The Golden State Warriors star Green spoke this week on the latest episode of his self-titled podcast. During the episode, Green reacted to the news of Jonathan Kuminga signing with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Green issued a warning to Kuminga about the situation in Minnesota. The former Defensive Player of the Year said that Kuminga, who is expected to start for the Timberwolves next season, would be the first to get benched if the team struggled.
“Here’s where those things get dicey, when you go to a team on a lower-level salary,” said Green. “All of a sudden, that starting lineup isn’t getting off to great starts, the analytics say this group isn’t working that well together.
“A 6.5 million dollar salary in the NBA is a bench-role salary,” Green added. “Your salary determines ultimately how a team treats you … So my only worry for JK is that if it’s not working, you’re the first plug that gets pulled.”
The 23-year-old Kuminga played for the Warriors from 2021-26, serving as a backup to Green at the forward spot and winning a championship with the team in 2022. Earlier this week though, Kuminga agreed to a two-year, $13 million contract with the Timberwolves, including a player option in the second year.
Kuminga turned down more guaranteed money from one other big-name NBA team and is essentially betting on himself to produce an excellent season in 2026-27 before having the ability to test free agency again. But Kuminga’s longtime teammate Green can already identify at least one major risk with that strategy.
