As the Golden State Warriors look to bring an end to their contractual stand-off with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, the team has now set their sights on bringing the young forward back on a short-term, tradeable deal that would allow them to retrieve value later down the line in a trade.
Yet, the unfortunate and tragic reality of the situation is that Kuminga still has the opportunity to accept the Warriors' qualifying offer, a path that could lead the organization to lose their prime asset for nothing but could be the ideal route for a player looking to prove his worth.
Kuminga, 22, has long felt under-valued by Golden State's coaching staff, and, if he were looking to bet on himself and prove his value to other organizations, accepting the qualifying offer could be a path to a lucrative unrestricted free agency next offseason.
Jonathan Kuminga's qualifying offer could be the best route for the young forward
As the Warriors entered the offseason, it was thought that there would be much interest surrounding a potential sign-and-trade for Kuminga. Yet, as the market around the league cooled on restricted free agents, almost all of the potential suitors fell away from negotiations.
The ones that remained, including the Sacramento Kings and the Phoenix Suns, either refused to or were incapable of providing Golden State's asking price in exchange for parting with their biggest asset this offseason.
Now, Kuminga and the organization are stuck in a stand-off, with Kuminga having no incentive to sign a new contract until his October 1 deadline for accepting his $7.9 million qualifying offer approaches.
According to people familiar with Kuminga's camp, this is still a real option that is being considered: one that would allow Kuminga to have one more season to prove his value.
While it is unclear whether this route is just a bluff on the part of Kuminga's agent, accepting a one-year deal could grant the young player the leverage he has sought for his entire career to this point.
If the Warriors were to bring back Kuminga, even on a deal as cheap as his qualifying offer, they would need to find a way to incorporate him into the rotation, and, when players such as Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler inevitable miss time, Kuminga could get the minutes and scoring opportunities he needs to prove himself as a potential starter in the NBA.
Rest assured, if Kuminga's free agency looms over next offseason, rival organizations will be paying close attention to his performance this season, and Kuminga could get revenge on Golden State by taking all the leverage into his own hands with a bold move.