As the Golden State Warriors' impasse with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga has stretched through this offseason, it is likely that both parties, along with the fans, have become increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress being made towards a deal.
Especially given the Warriors' inability to sign any free agents as a result of the uncertainty surrounding Kuminga's contract, fans certainly have the right to feel exasperated, but, now, the two parties may begin approaching an agreement in the near future according to NBA Insider Jake Fischer.
With the recent resolutions surrounding Cam Thomas's and Josh Giddey's restricted free agencies and training camp rapidly approaching, such a resolution would certainly be welcomed sooner rather than later.
Jonathan Kuminga's contract could be coming as soon as next week
Kuminga, 22, has admittedly had some of his deep-seated contention with his coaching staff and front office on full display this offseason, but, for now, it seems as though the best resolution is for him to return to Golden State on a short-term, tradeable deal.
However, the two sides have come to an impasse over the Warriors' insistence on including a team option in the two-year deal they have offered, with Kuminga's side proving hesitant to be brought back exclusively as a trade piece.
While the two parties have been far apart on this issue for over a month now, Fischer reported today that the two sides could be nearing an agreement, writing in the most recent edition of The Stein Line newsletter that, "Given Giddey's new deal in the Windy City, it's not difficult to understand why Kuminga's camp doesn't regard Golden State's proposal as appetizing... Yet there is a sense, coming from those connected to both sides of these negotiations, that we could finally see some movement on the Kuminga front next week."
As the offseason has worn on, Kuminga's refusal to sign a deal quickly has proven to be understandable. Given his frustrations with the front office throughout this process, he has had almost no incentive to sign anything before the October 1 deadline for accepting his qualifying offer.
At the same time, his qualifying offer represents the lone leverage he maintains in these negotiations, and, as two of the league's four restricted free agents this offseason have now signed, it may be time to accept that the QO is not a viable option after all.
Moreover, the Warriors might be incentivized to add an extra $1-2 million annualy onto Kuminga's deal in order to get him to sign a bit earlier, allowing them to fill out their six open roster spots before the start of training camp.
Therefore, while it remains to be seen what the final terms of the contract will be, it appears as though we will see Kuminga, and a number of other players, joining or re-joining Golden State in the very near future.