Jonathan Kuminga could set himself up for disaster with qualifying offer

He might be shooting himself in the foot...
Cleveland Cavaliers v Golden State Warriors
Cleveland Cavaliers v Golden State Warriors | Lachlan Cunningham/GettyImages

As the Golden State Warriors have attempted to negotiate a short-term, tradeable deal with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga this offseason, the two sides have come to an impasse regarding whether the deal will contain a team option or a player option after the first year.

Yet, while it remains a stark possibility that Kuminga will accept his qualifying option, guaranteeing himself unrestricted free agency next offseason, doing so could leave the young forward in a worse position with a declining value on the open market.

Although Kuminga has been seen throughout his young career as a potentially difference-making, dynamic scorer, he has yet to realize his potential with the Warriors, and, if this offseason is any indication, teams around the league may not value him at the same level he holds himself to.

There's no guarantee that Kuminga' market next offseason will be any better

As the offseason opened for Golden State, many around the league thought that their best option this offseason was to attempt to retrieve value in some sort of sign-and-trade for Kuminga rather than attempt to negotiate a contract and heal an already broken relationship.

Yet, as the two sides have come to an impasse, Kuminga's party has maintained the threat of accepting his qualifying offer, leaving the Warriors essentially no opportunity to gain any sort of value from their prime trade asset.

His $7.9 million qualifying offer would represent a one-year contract that, while it could be traded, would not convey his bird rights to whatever his ultimate destination is, severely lowering his trade value and essentially guaranteeing him a shot at the open market.

Yet, if Kuminga were to take the leverage into his own hands in this manner and screw over Golden State, would the organization have any incentive to help him rehabilitate his value? Part of the reason that teams have been skittish around a potential Kuminga trade this offseason is his benching and ultimate removal from the rotation towards the end of last regular season.

Given the numerous questions concerning his fit in the rotation as it stands, it is entirely possible that Kuminga could be left in the same situation next season, again harming his value and the market and perhaps severely limiting his options in the unrestricted free agency he is seeking.

Kuminga wants a long-term deal and to be valued as a cornerstone of an organization: something he clearly deserves and that his potential as a high-impact player warrants. Yet, in order to maximize his value on the market, it could be in his best interest to allow the Warriors to take on some leverage in his next short-term deal.