After signing Stephen Curry to a one-year, $62.6 million extension at the end of August, all the offseason focus has now turned to whether the Golden State Warriors can secure Jonathan Kuminga to a new deal.
The young forward is eligible for a five-year, $224 million extension, with any agreement between the two parties needing to come by the deadline of October 21 -- one day before the start of the 2024-25 regular season.
Zach Lowe's prediction for Jonathan Kuminga's contract situation could immediately cause trouble for the Golden State Warriors next season
Much has been made of Kuminga's wish for the full max extension, as reported by Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports last month. A number of 2021 lottery picks have already signed the life-changing contract this offseason, including Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes and Franz Wagner.
In a recent episode on his podcast addressing the biggest contract questions heading into the season, ESPN's Zach Lowe has outlined his belief that a deal for Kuminga is unlikely to get done before the deadline.
“If I were a betting man and I am not, I would bet on this going into the off season. I don't know that. I don't know", Lowe said. "That would just be my bet. If I'm the Warriors, I'm saying, why am I going to pay you close to the max when no one has cap room and this is what restricted free agency is for?”
While far from categoric in his belief, Lowe's reasoning is obviously sound. Why would Golden State risk giving Kuminga the full max now when they can simply wait and get more on-court data before making a decision?
Well the answer to that is to erase any simmering tension that may arise as a result of no extension. The Warriors know first hand the impact that these situations can have, particularly after going through the Klay Thompson contract scenario last season.
This is a little different. Thompson was eligible to sign a new deal at any point last season, as any conversations with Kuminga's management would be parked from the October 21 deadline. The 21-year-old would immediately enter restricted free agency next offseason, giving Golden State far more control than what the franchise had with Thompson as an unrestricted free agent.
The result could still be the same though -- lingering uneasiness and a player's doubt on how much the franchise truly values them. That impacts on-court form, as evidenced by Thompson's rollercoaster-type play last season.
Now the Warriors are left to balance the pros and cons of a Kuminga extension, particularly if his management are steadfast in wanting $200+ million. One thing is for sure, the franchise must tread carefully to ensure this doesn't brew into legitimate trouble on the eve of a new season.