The Golden State Warriors extended Steph Curry for another year and hope to get back into contention. They are dreaming of Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski breaking out. Klay Thompson is gone, but the franchise added multiple rotation pieces in free agency. The Dubs’ depth could be a curse and a gift. There is still plenty to sort out ahead of a crucial season.
Who plays and how much is job one for training camp. The Warriors will continue to shop for a star to complement Curry and Draymond Green, but finding one is never easy. They must be prepared to lean on their depth and find ways to win with their current group. Golden State’s front office faces an important deadline before things get underway.
Kuminga and Moses Moody are eligible for rookie extensions. General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said the franchise wants to keep both, but it may not be simple. Kuminga is seeking a crazy number, and things could turn sour if the two sides cannot work it out.
Jonathan Kuminga reportedly wants a max contract extension
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported this on his No Cap Room podcast a few weeks ago.
“The word around the league from various sources is Kuminga and his representation are looking for a full max extension”.
Fischer went on to say that deal would be problematic as teams are seeing with less than superstars already on those contracts.
Kuminga should be asking for significant money after breaking out last season. Over his final 54 games, the 21-year-old averaged 17.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 0.8 steals in 28.8 minutes per game. Those are not All-Star numbers, but the 6’8 forward still has a ton of room to grow.
Overpaying Jonathan Kumniga would hamstring the Warriors for years
The salary cap will rise significantly as the NBA’s new television money comes in, but paying Kuminga $225 million over the next five years cannot happen. That is $45 million per season on average, which will be over 21 percent of the projected cap in 2028-29. Kuminga would need to be a star and the Warriors' best player by that stage. Can he live up to that hype?
The 21-year-old made strides last season, but he still averaged 21.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.0 steal per 36 minutes. He is a subpar shooter and far from a lockdown defender. Kuminga could blossom into a key rotation piece, but he is not becoming a number one player on a title contender. Without that, he is not worth a max contract.
The last thing the Warriors need is a contract no team is willing to trade for on their books until 2030.
Impact of failing to work out an extension before this season
The pressure is not fully on because Kuminga will be a restricted free agent next summer. Golden State can match any offer and keep him on their roster. Does that have a negative long-term impact on their relationship?
There were reports of the 21-year-old being unhappy (subscription required) last season, and it took significant time for head coach Steve Kerr to trust him. Even after this spat, Kuminga did not average over 30 minutes per game. Could all these little things damage the relationship between the player and the franchise beyond repair?
The worst-case scenario for the Warriors is Kuminga becomes a superstar but requests a trade because he is unhappy in the Bay Area. This would likely be as Curry and Green retire and leave the franchise facing a total rebuild.
The Golden State Warriors need to sign Jonathan Kuminga to a long-term contract, but one that is beneficial for both sides. Can they find common ground? It won’t be easy and could have significant impacts on the relationship. This problem could grow as the season draws closer and is something every fan should watch closely.