Once seen as the potential next face of the Golden State Warriors, Jonathan Kuminga's future at the franchise remains up in the air nearly a month since the start of free agency.
It's become crystal clear that the Warriors aren't committed to Kuminga beyond their current Stephen Curry timeline, having reportedly offered a two-year, $40 million contact to the former seventh overall pick according to NBA insider Marc Stein on Monday.
The Warriors are building a two-year window to win with Stephen Curry
Golden State have evidently forecasted a two-year window to try and win another championship with Curry at the forefront. The Warriors are seeking full flexibility in the 2027 offseason, and not even the talent of Kuminga will force them to stray beond those goals.
Curry is contracted for another two years at over $120 million, by which point the then 39-year-old superstar may be ready to take less than the maximum salary available to him. Jimmy Butler was also handed a two-year extension at over $110 million when he arrived via trade in Early February, while Draymond Green too will become a free agent in 2027 should he opt into his $27.7 million deal for the 2026-27 season.
The Warriors have a clear plan to build around that veteran trio over the next two years, then reassess from there when a number of superstar players could be hitting the market. Golden State's two-year offer to Kuminga makes it obvious that they won't prioritize him above that plan, or at least not at the $20+ million annual salary that he's seeking.
Fellow 2021 lottery pick Moses Moody is the only player on the entire Golden State roster that has guaranteed money in the 2027-28 season, with the young wing signing an extension in October that will see him make $13.4 million on the final year of his deal.
Veteran sharpshooter Buddy Hield has a $10.1 million player option for the 2027-28 season, but before then only $3 million of his 2026-27 deal is guaranteed. That means the Warriors can offload the 32-year-old and create even more room for that 2027 offseason that's shaping as a pivotal one across the league.
Both Los Angeles teams in the Lakers and Clippers are also prioritizing cap flexibility in 2027. That was undoubtedly part of the reasoning behind the Clippers' decision to trade the extension-eligible Norman Powell for John Collins, with starting center Ivica Zubac the only player with a guaranteed contract for the 2027-28 season.
In today's modern financial landscape with the first and second tax aprons, teams are being more wary than ever of their long-term situations. That's specifically hurting Kuminga's market right now, along with other restricted free agents in Josh Giddey, Quentin Grimes and Cam Thomas who are all stuck in a holding pattern right now.