Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors were locked in a standoff all the way until training camp last offseason. No one really won out of the entire saga, but the franchise certainly got a deal that was ultimately on their terms.
It was a lesson for Kuminga on the difficulty of free agency when clear roadblocks exist, yet it's not one he's learned from as the young forward prepares to wait on the outcome of his future once again.
Jonathan Kuminga hasn't learned free agency lesson Warriors taught him
Kuminga is an unrestricted free agent this time around after the Atlanta Hawks declined his $24.3 million player option for next season. The 23-year-old has interest from the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers, but there's been no agreement nearly a month into free agency.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line on Monday night, Kuminga and his camp are prepared to wait for more money and a better solution to emerge as the offseason progresses.
"There's optimism within the Kuminga camp, even after last summer's seemingly interminable wait for a new deal with Golden State in restricted free agency, that there could be more movement and more earning potential as the offseason unfolds," Fischer wrote.
This is fraught with danger and Kuminga only has to look at last offseason for evidence that this isn't always forthcoming. He waited the entirety of his restricted free agency for a more lucrative contract or the opportunity to switch teams, yet wound up signing a deal with Golden State that once again was considered team-friendly.
Jonathan Kuminga faces clear roadblocks in free agency
Kuminga's roadblock last year was Golden State's leverage in the restricted free agency process. While not restricted now, the lack of cap space among those teams interested in him -- namely the Lakers and Cavaliers -- means a sign-and-trade has to be completed, and that Atlanta have to be appeased despite being willing to let Kuminga go.
The other hindrance for Kuminga is that any sign-and-trade requires that he get a three-year contract. As Fischer wrote in his report, the former seventh overall pick doesn't want to be boxed into a deal that he sees as underwhelming when he thinks he could make more as a free agent again next year or the year after.
These are somewhat different circumstances, but it's a similar fate for Kuminga. It's the teams who have leverage here and as a result, the former Warrior may be forced into a one-year prove it deal if these better outcomes he wishes for don't materialize.
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