As the Golden State Warriors enter their off-season following a disappointing second-round defeat, one of their most pressing issues, the return or departure of young forward Jonathan Kuminga, has taken center stage.
In addition to all of the baggage related to Kuminga's tenure in Golden State, it has recently been revealed by Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report that Kuminga had already turned down a five-year, $150 million contract prior to the start of this last season.
Now, as the team attempts to retain one of their young, promising players while operating with limited cap space, this could signify a major issue, and perhaps a stunning roster change, for the re-tooling Warriors.
Jonathan Kuminga wants more than market value, and it could catalyze a major trade
Kuminga, despite his serious athletic and offensive potential, has never seemed to fully materialize for Golden State. Although he is a serious scoring threat, averaging 26.5 points in games in which he played more than 30 minutes this season, he has never fully earned the trust of head coach Steve Kerr to play within the team's Steph Curry-led system.
This issue came to a head this season, following the acquisition of Jimmy Butler, when Kuminga was benched for the Warriors' final, and most important, game of the regular season.
However, his resurgence in the playoffs, in which he averaged 20.8 points and 27.4 minutes in five games against Minnesota, has reminded fans and the league alike of the room he has to grow and the impact he can have immediately.
The Warriors' reported offer is in the range of other promising young players' extensions following the expiration of their rookie contracts. Jalen Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks and Jalen Suggs of the Orlando Magic, who were also first-round draft picks of their respective organizations, both signed near-identical deals.
Yet, Kuminga evidently had confidence that this year would allow him to prove himself to be of even greater value than Suggs or Johnson, either to Golden State or to another organization.
Following what transpired this season, it is highly unlikely that Kuminga receives such an offer from the Warriors again unless it is part of an agreed upon sign-and-trade with another organization. Since Kuminga is now a restricted free agent, Golden State is likely to do their best to prevent him from leaving for nothing. Such a trade could net the Warriors key rotation players that could shore up their weaknesses from this season.
However, his evidently lofty demands could complicate matters, and they almost certainly preclude a return to Golden State.