Thanks to an extraordinary 30-point outing in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals, Jonathan Kuminga's future has taken another turn as the Golden State Warriors prepare to deal with his restricted free agency this offseason.
Kuminga's value had seemingly plummeted thanks to his recent axing from Steve Kerr's rotation, but his startling performance on Saturday could in itself be enough to earn him a lot of money this summer.
Fortunately for the Warriors, their hopes of re-signing Kuminga at a reasonable number while balancing their overall payroll could be boosted by the expected state of free agency league-wide.
Free agency landscape could help Warriors re-sign Jonathan Kuminga
Kuminga reportedly turned down a massive $30 million per year extension offer prior to the season, something he may come to regret despite his stunning turnaround into becoming a key figure in the current second-round series.
In discussing the futures of Philadelphia 76ers trio Eric Gordon, Andre Drummond and former Warrior Kelly Oubre Jr. -- all of whom are expected to opt into their player options -- NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported on Sunday that the free agency market does not project to be player-friendly.
"The fact those player options range from Gordon's $3.5 million to Oubre's $8.4 million also speaks to the belief that the market for free agents this summer does not exactly project to be player-friendly," Stein and Fischer wrote.
The Brooklyn Nets remain the most notable team with extensive cap space, leaving them as perhaps the biggest threat to Golden State in terms of offering Kuminga a sizeable offer sheet. However, the Warrior forward is far from the only player the Nets could use their cap space on, with the likes of Josh Giddey and Quentin Grimes also restricted free agents they could hold interest in.
While Giddey and Grimes were far more productive over the second-half of the season, neither have ever had the sort of playoff performance Kuminga delivered on Saturday. The former seventh overall pick shot 11-of-18 from the floor, had six rebounds, three assists and two blocks off the bench in a display that would have undoubtedly caught the attention of Brooklyn and others around the league.
It may also cause a re-think for the Warriors who may have been ready to move on from Kuminga amid his place outside the rotation, yet this re-emergence makes you wonder how they could possibly let go of someone talented enough to drop 30 in a big playoff game.