Relations between Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors are quickly deteriorating.
The veteran forward Kuminga has not responded to the latest offer from the Warriors, according to a report on Tuesday by League Alerts. Kuminga reportedly has not sent a counteroffer or even acknowledged the Warriors’ existing offer, instead choosing to treat them with “silence.” As a result, tensions between the two sides are “escalating,” the report adds.
This news comes after veteran NBA writer Marc Stein reported earlier this week that Golden State’s best offer to Kuminga has been for two years and $40 million. However, Kuminga reportedly continues to hold out for a longer-term contract in the range of $25-$30 million per year.
The 22-year-old former lottery pick Kuminga, who averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game last year for the Warriors, is a restricted free agent this summer. Thus, if he can’t agree to a long-term deal with Golden State, he can accept the one-year qualifying offer (worth roughly $8 million) and then become an unrestricted free agent next summer. A sign-and-trade that would send Kuminga elsewhere this summer is also a possibility.
As it stands right now, the Warriors are the only NBA team that has not yet made a move this offseason (whether it be re-signing a player or making an outside addition via free agency or trade). That might not change as long as the Kuminga situation remains unresolved.
Free agency in general has mostly slowed to a halt by this point of the offseason. Top names and role players have mostly already signed, but the mid-tier free agents are not finding much luck due to teams not wanting to overpay thanks to the Draconian restrictions that come with being in the second apron of the luxury tax.
Kuminga’s situation is also especially complicated because he already had existing animosity with the Warriors before this offseason. In the past, the four-year NBA veteran Kuminga has been the subject of rumors about an allegedly poor relationship with Golden State head coach Steve Kerr and even supposedly with some of his Warriors teammates too.
