While Jonathan Kuminga remains at a stand-still in contract negotiations with the Golden State Warriors, the possibility of the young forward accepting the $7.9 million qualifying offer still exists until October 1.
Turning down significantly more guaranteed money may be a major risk for Kuminga to take, but it may actually be the Warriors who need to blink first in this current staring contest that's now approaching the six-week mark.
The Bulls are already a threat to sign Jonathan Kuminga next offseason
Taking the qualifying offer would allow Kuminga to take control of his own destiny as an unrestricted free agent in 2026, even if Golden State can maintain hold of his playing time and role between now and then.
The Chicago Bulls have been one of the teams linked to a sign-and-trade for Kuminga this offseason, yet their hopes of pulling that off have been hindered by their own restricted free agency situation with Josh Giddey (who ironically the Warriors have interest in).
Pairing Giddey and Kuminga together may still be on the table for the Bulls, but in 12 months time rather than this offseason. NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported on Sunday that Chicago could be an early threat to sign the Golden State forward should he take the qualifying offer and become a free agent next year.
"Depending on how the Bulls manage their roster in coming months, they could have massive cap space to potentially mount a Kuminga pursuit come next June 30 if he plays things out all the way to unrestricted free agency," Fischer wrote.
While the Bulls may already be in Kuminga's ear about next offseason, he'd still be taking a major gamble on himself by taking the qualifying offer and once again putting himself at the mercy of Steve Kerr's rotations.
As previously spoke about here, how is Kuminga going to generate the contract he wants -- whether from the Bulls or elsewhere -- if he's stuck playing another year in an even lesser role than the 24 minutes per game he got last season?
It's why Golden State still have some leverage over the qualifying offer threat, but as Fischer stated in his report, "seeing Kuminga go the qualifier route would not be a welcome outcome (for the franchise)."
Perhaps the Warriors need to therefore relent a little on their current contract offer, giving Kuminga a guaranteed second year to ensure he doesn't just walk out the door for nothing next offseason.