Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors are in the midst of a contract negotiation that could either seal or open the floodgates. With a cap hold that registers at nearly $23 million, Kuminga's restricted free agency has Golden State in a holding pattern, and the rest of the NBA is following suit.
Unfortunately for Warriors fans who were hoping to see Kuminga sign for a salary in the range of his cap hold, that outcome is bordering on an impossibility.
Kuminga, 22, joins the likes of Josh Giddey and Cam Thomas as productive up-and-comers who remain unsigned. All seem to be in a similar position, with their respective franchises appearing unwilling to meet their salary demands. Unfortunately for the Warriors, the Kuminga saga has taken a turn for the worst.
According to Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of ESPN, the Warriors offered Kuminga a two-year, $45 million contract, but the 22-year-old declined due to the franchise's stance on a team option and a no-trade clause.
"The Golden State Warriors made another push to retain Jonathan Kuminga over the past several days, but the restricted free agent is continuing to decline their two-year, $45 million contract offer, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. Kuminga's decision is due in large part to the Warriors' insistence on having a team option for the second season and their unwillingness to let him maintain the built-in no-trade clause, sources said."
Kuminga's decision to decline the offer represents the fundamental issue between Golden State and its most productive up-and-comer: Philosophical differences.
Jonathan Kuminga declines two-year, $45 million offer from Warriors
To clarify: Kuminga hasn't declined a two-year, $45 million contract offer because of the average annual salary. Instead, his point of contention is the fact that the Warriors are insisting on including a team option while simultaneously refusing to include what Charania and Slater described as a "built-in" no-trade clause.
It's a continuation of the primary issue that seems to exist between Kuminga and the Warriors: A lack of certainty and stability in regard to his place with the organization.
Head coach Steve Kerr made waves when he publicly stated that he doesn't believe Kuminga can play significant minutes alongside Jimmy Butler, Stephen Curry, and Draymond Green. He also made Kuminga a healthy scratch on multiple occasions during the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Most agree that Kuminga could've done more to improve his consistency on defense and as an off-ball contributor, but the instability of his role wasn't necessarily conducive to his development.
Charania and Slater reported that Kuminga's desire for stability is the primary reason he's been reluctant to re-sign with the Warriors. He's not only interested in signing long-term elsewhere for contractual certainty, but the opportunity to play with fewer restraints.
Unfortunately, the ESPN reports states that Golden State hasn't yet received an offer it's intrigued by in sign-and-trade discussions.
Based on the new information, it appears there are only two paths forward. Either Kuminga and the Warriors find a satisfying middle ground between the team option for 2026-27 and the no-trade clause, or a sign-and-trade will be the only thing standing in the way of a potentially disastrous outcome: Kuminga accepting his qualifying offer.
Unfortunately, the latest report seems to imply that such an outcome is more realistic than anyone would like to believe it to be.