The ongoing nature of Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency should serve as a warning to many young players around the league, including fellow Golden State Warriors youngster Brandin Podziemski who will be in line for a payday next offseason.
We’re now 12 months away from Podziemski being extension eligible off his rookie contract. Based on his first two years that have significantly outweighed the expectations of a 19th overall pick, the young guard could be in for something close to or over $100 million.
Brandin Podziemski has to be careful in contract negotiations
If there’s one thing to be learned though from Kuminga’s restricted free agency, and that of Josh Giddey, Quentin Grimes and Cam Thomas for that matter, it’s not to get too greedy before the October extension deadline hits.
The Warriors were able to get a deal done with Moses Moody who agreed on a three-year, $37.5 million extension, but not with Kuminga who instantly entered free agency in the hope of a bigger contact in store.
Instead, it’s been the exact opposite for the 22-year-old who’s seen his money and options dissipate rather quickly. The complete lack of salary cap room around the league has prevented Kuminga’s ability to go out and get a significant offer sheet elsewhere which would at least have put pressure on the Warriors.
Then you have those teams willing to offer three or four year deals – the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns – who’ve been shut down by Golden State because of the leverage they hold as part of the restricted free agency process.
There were conflicting reports on just how much the Warriors were willing to give Kuminga before the October deadline. Even if the five-year, $150 million offer was never forthcoming, we can safely assume it was at least somewhere near or over $100 million.
Now Golden State are only presenting one year of guaranteed money – or more specifically a two-year, $45 million deal with a second year team option. It’s such a dire situation that Kuminga could be willing to take the $7.9 million qualifying offer, something he’d have to decide on by October 1.
Let this be a lessen to Podziemski next offseason. It’s probably better to lose a few million and get a deal done, than to haggle too much and have to enter an uncertain free agency market where the team still has a large element of control. At the very least, his agent would want to have a far better grasp on what the free agency landscape actually looks like as opposed to what we’ve seemingly seen with Kuminga’s camp.
Of course, there’s still a whole season to play out before then, with Podziemski’s next contract still largely to be determined by his impact for the Warriors on the floor.