The Golden State Warriors are staring down an offseason development that could put years of team-building at risk. The Warriors are still a championship hopeful, but the opportunity to further the development of a key young player in Jonathan Kuminga isn't the only potential loss they must prepare for.
It's entirely possible that Kuminga will return to play for Golden State in 2025-26, but if he does so by accepting his qualifying offer, it would devastate the front office's grand vision.
The Kuminga saga has become one of the most polarizing chapters in recent Golden State Warriors history. A profoundly talented scorer whose structural fit is no longer viewed in a favorable light, a tepid market and a shared history of regrettable decisions has created the blueprint for disaster.
Per Fred Katz of The Athletic, a rival executive identified the nightmare scenario the Warriors must do everything they can to avoid: Kuminga accepting his qualifying offer.
“If he takes the qualifying offer, the Warriors are f—– from a team-building standpoint, because they need to get him on a deal where they can trade him,” the executive said. “That’s the key for them.”
Kuminga would be leaving millions of dollars on the table, but the Warriors would effectively lose the opportunity they may be dreaming of to flip the 22-year-old for an impact player.
Jonathan Kuminga accepting qualifying offer would crush Warriors' trade ambitions
Golden State extended a $7.9 million qualifying offer in order to ensure Kuminga would enter the offseason as a restricted free agent. It was an inevitability, as the Warriors can now match any offer that the up-and-comer receives.
Moreover, Golden State is now in a position to receive assets if Kuminga departs via a sign-and-trade rather than losing him for nothing at all.
Unfortunately, the one outcome that few expected to be a viable possibility is suddenly realistic: Kuminga accepting his qualifying offer. That would result in the polarizing scorer returning on a $7.9 million deal before entering unrestricted free agency in 2026.
In that scenario, the Warriors would be at risk of losing a player they spent the No. 7 overall selection in the 2021 NBA Draft on for no return whatsoever.
Even more concerning is the fact that Kuminga's salary would likely prevent the Warriors from potentially trading him for an impact player. Perhaps the front office can create the maneuverability to package Kuminga in a deal for a high-value talent, but that's a far more complicated process.
If Kuminga is signed for an annual salary in the range of the $25 million he's requested, however, the Warriors could negotiate a sign-and-trade that helps bolster their championship odds.
It's a strange situation for an organization to find itself in, as there's every reason for Golden State to want another franchise to pay Kuminga a price that it wouldn't match. It would enable both the player and organization to move on while simultaneously benefiting from the structure of the new deal.
Unfortunately, if Kuminga opts to accept his qualifying offer, the Warriors' pursuit of both internal and external improvement will become significantly more complicated.