Jonathan Kuminga's return from a long 31-game absence hasn't gone according to plan just yet, with the talented forward so far unable to fully acclimatize to a new role on a Golden State Warriors team that now features 6x All-Star Jimmy Butler.
The 22-year-old is averaging 14.0 points in 23.4 minutes across his seven games since return, but is shooting just 42.3% from the field and 17.6% from 3-point range. Of much more concern, the Warriors are -40 in Kuminga's minutes upon return -- no other teammate is worse than -11 during the same span.
The Warriors may be left with a heart-breaking Jonathan Kuminga call
As a result, Kuminga is one of the hottest talking points surrounding Golden State right now. He's so often been the most divisive player on the Warrior roster across his four-year career, with the balance between his present production and future potential always a prominent discussion.
While the numbers individually and as a team are undeniable since his return, there's also a fair argument that Kuminga needs much more than seven games to be fully analyzed after such a significant ankle sprain.
The problem is that future potential is much easier to point to when you're still on a rookie contract and therefore making little money relative to NBA standards. That won't remain the case for Kuminga following this season, with the franchise needing to decide whether they want to commit to him long-term.
Golden State took the patient approach prior to the season, choosing not to sign Kuminga to an extension which leaves him as a restricted free agent. They did manage to agree to an extension with fellow fourth-year lottery pick Moses Moody, with the 6'5" wing signing a three-year, $37.5 million deal that's beginning to look very team friendly as he solidifies a starting role.
Despite the fact Kuminga is still coming off the bench, he's going to cost a lot more for the Warriors to retain. According to Spotrac's Keith Smith who's evaluated the situations of all the restricted free agents, Kuminga could command a four-year, $100 million contract.
If he were to get an offer sheet from a rival team at that number, Golden State could be forced into a heart-breaking but necessary call not to match and let their former seventh overall pick walk. That would be a tough decision to make given how much the franchise has invested in Kuminga, not to mention the countless times they could have traded him yet didn't in recent years.
However, if the season continues to play out in a similar manner to what we've seen over the past seven games, it's hard to see the Warriors paying that much when they've already committed significantly to veterans Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and most recently Butler.
The decision is likely to be dictated by what we see over the remainder of the season, with the team's performance and ability to go deep in the playoffs perhaps just as important as Kuminga's individual form.