As the Golden State Warriors have sought out a resolution to their stand-off with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, the two sides have come to an impasse over which party will have more leverage in a potential short-term, tradeable deal.
Yet, as reported by Anthony Slater on NBA Today, Kuminga is seeking a deal that signifies faith in him as a building block of the organization, and, in order to make any progress, Kuminga must accept the fact that the team views him as a trade asset.
Given his questionable fit within the team's starting lineup, a long-term deal for Kuminga is unlikely, and the young forward is better off welcoming a trade that will send him to a new home with a better fit for his skill-set.
Kuminga must accept the fact that he is a trade asset for the Warriors
Entering the offseason, it was initially thought that the Warriors would aggressively pursue a sign-and-trade for Kuminga this offseason, looking to retrieve value for their prime asset.
Yet, as interest around the league waned, the two sides have come closer to a resolution on a two-year deal with an annual value around $20 million: an agreement that would allow the organization to move Kuminga in the near future.
However, the two sides have come to a disagreement over whether the deal will include a team or a player option after the first year. Kuminga, who has felt undervalued by the organization for most of his career to this point, is seeking a player option in order to signify some sort of faith in his abilities and his value.
According to Slater, the impasse is a result of the fact that "Kuminga wants more of a player-friendly deal, more of a signal that he’s a building block, not a trade asset.”
Yet, at this point in his tenure with the organization, it has become clear that the unfortunate reality is that Kuminga is not a building block. His lack of a perimeter shot and general unwillingness to play a more defensive and rebounding-centric role makes it nearly impossible to play him alongside Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green.
At the same time, however, his dynamic scoring ability could convince a team to take a swing on the 22-year-old, granting him the runway and ability to realize his potential that he has publicly longed for.
In order for the two sides to come any closer to ending their stand-off, Kuminga must accept the hand he has been dealt, perhaps taking on a more team-friendly deal that will allow him to be utilized as a trade asset. While this is certainly unfortunate for Kuminga, it is the only way that both sides will find the resolution they have been seeking.