As the Golden State Warriors have attempted to bring an end to their contractual stand-off with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, the two parties have been held at an impasse over where the leverage will lie once the dust is settled.
While the Warriors wish to have a team option included, making the contract more tradeable, Kuminga and his representation strongly desire a player option in order to maintain his flexibility moving forward, and, according to Sam Vecenie on the latest episode of The Game Theory podcast, this disagreement has constituted one of the most memorable contract battles in recent memory.
While it remains to be seen what the final resolution will be, all eyes have been on the Kuminga situation as the NBA offseason has wound down, and Vecenie's comments are simply representative of Golden State's mishandling of the situation.
The Jonathan Kuminga saga has been one of the most memorable contractual battles in recent NBA history
Throughout the offseason, it has become clear that there is one factor to this saga that has wholeheartedly benefitted Kuminga's case: publicity.
His agent, Aaron Turner, has made multiple public appearances on recent weeks, including an extensive interview with ESPN's Brian Windhorst, in order to make their case public, and, as we approach the season, the Warriors' position has grown worse and worse as all eyes have turned toward the last remaining major contractual stand-off.
According to Vecenie, the publicity that has arisen from the Kuminga situation in combination with the relative lack of leverage that Kuminga and his representation possess has represented a rather defining point in the modern landscape of NBA free agency: " It's a leverage battle kind of unlike anything I've seen in the league in a while. I think it would be crazy for Kuminga to take the qualifying offer. And I do think the Warriors have more leverage here than what Aaron Turner and Jonathan Kuminga do..."
Vecenie points out exactly what is so interesting about the Kuminga negotiations. Despite the fact that he has pointed to his ability to take his qualifying offer, leaving Golden State with essentially no path towards retrieving any value from him, throughout the offseason, it does not seem like a particularly realistic option given the money he would be leaving on the table if he did so.
Yet, Kuminga and Turner have successfully backed the Warriors into a corner, leaving them unable to complete their roster until they, at least somewhat, accommodate the young forward's demands.
Golden State has already upped their offer to three years and $75 million (the first $50 million of which would be guaranteed), and it remains to be seen whether Kuminga can utlilize what little leverage he has to extend that even further.
Therefore, as Vecenie notes, the fact that this has become such a public saga is the fault of the Warriors for not utilizing the leverage they had when they had the chance, leaving their entire roster and organization in a position of uncertainty as a result.