After a lengthy stalemate in discussions where they were unwilling to budge on a two-year, $45 million contract (second year team option), the Golden State Warriors have made a sizeable move to try and find a resolution on Jonathan Kuminga's future.
As reported by ESPN's Shams Charania and Anthony Slater on Monday, the Warriors have most recently offered Kuminga a three-year, $75 million deal that includes a third year team option.
The Warriors have done Jonathan Kuminga a favor with their latest offer
With both sides having dug their heels in over the offseason to date, this latest offer should be seen as a sign of goodwill from the franchise and a willingness to compromise on a new contract in the next week or so.
They could have just tried to call Kuminga's bluff in thinking he'd ultimately avoid the qualifying offer, but the front office is now signalling a greater level of value in the 22-year-old and the intention of bringing him back on a more lucrative contract.
Offering $25 million per year to a player who still isn't entirely proven is nothing to sneeze at. In fact, there's probably a significant section of Warrior fans who believe it's malpractice to be offering Kuminga that type of annual salary, particularly when his fit within the team and the veteran core is still such an ongoing cause for concern.
Golden State may have wronged Kuminga at times over the past four years when it comes to his development, but in this very moment they're doing him a favor -- it's a peace-offering of sorts. Is it exactly what the young forward wants? No, but that's the whole point of trying to find a compromise.
Take the Chicago Bulls and Josh Giddey as a great example. The player wanted a four-year, $120 million contract and the franchise went a long time only offering four years and $80 million, yet a natural compromise was eventually found last week with the agreement on a four-year, $100 million deal.
The Warriors took the Bulls lead and offered a compromise of their own, only for Kuminga and his camp to shut it down and have this stalemate continue. Taking the qualifying offer over Golden State's previous offer had some merit, but turning down this new deal might be a career-defining moment the former seventh overall pick never recovers from.
As much as Kuminga has leverage with the threat of the qualifying offer, the Warriors have always had leverage in him being a restricted free agent. That's allowed them to shut down sign-and-trade talks with the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings, preventing Kuminga from getting a fresh start elsewhere.
Golden State have put the leverage aside and offered something that's fair and reasonable given the circumstances. Now it's time for Kuminga to do the same, or simply take the qualifying offer and stop wasting everybody's time.