Josh Giddey's four-year, $100 million contract with the Chicago Bulls last week was supposed to prove a domino effect in restricted free agency, but instead it's made the Golden State Warriors look even worse as their stalemate with Jonathan Kuminga drags on closer to October.
There was hope that Giddey's compromise with the Bulls could be replicated in Kuminga's situation, with both fourth-year players having headlined the group of restricted free agents that have had to wait until September for their futures to be resolved.
Warriors compromise with Jonathan Kuminga hasn't been forthcoming
The Warriors certainly would have hoped a compromise was in store when, in the wake of Giddey's agreement, they increased their offer to Kuminga from a two-year, $45 million contract (second year team option) to a three-year, $75 million deal (third year team option).
It's worth remembering that Giddey had been asking for a four-year, $120 million contract from Chicago, only to finally meet in the middle with the franchise after they had initially only offered $80 million over four years.
Golden State's olive branch extension to Kuminga wasn't received in the same way, with the 22-year-old and his camp rejecting the offer and demanding that the third year team option be turned into a player option to allow him more control over his future.
The fact the Bulls of all teams were able to deliver a compromise with their restricted free agent, and the Warriors haven't been able to do the same, is a damning reflection on how poorly the franchise has handled this entire Kuminga situation well beyond simply the last few months of negotiations.
More importantly it's left Golden State in a tough spot and without many hands to play in further discussions, particularly given they can't really increase their offer from an annual salary perspective as it would hinder their ability to sign Al Horford to the $5.5 million taxpayer mid-level exception.
It's given Kuminga the sort of control that belies a player that's so unproven in the league, who's largely been a bench player his entire career, and who quite frankly will enter next season as the team's fourth-most important player at best.
It also goes to show the power of the qualifying offer and its threat to the Warriors who want to retain Kuminga the asset more so than Kuminga the player, otherwise they face the prospect of losing him for nothing as an unrestricted free agent next offseason.