A second-year team option appears to be the primary reason that Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors have yet to agree to a new contract. Kuminga is seemingly reluctant to place his future in the Warriors' hands, and the franchise is evidently unwilling to commit to more than one guaranteed season.
Golden State doesn't appear to have that problem with 39-year-old free agent Al Horford, however, who may have a player option included in his contract if the latest rumors prove true.
Horford has been the top free agent linked to the Warriors in 2025, with the general consensus appearing to be that it's effectively a done deal. Nothing can be finalized until the Kuminga saga is resolved, but Horford appears to have an ideal new contract in mind—and Kuminga won't be very happy to hear about it.
According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Warriors have discussed the possibility of a second-year player option in Horford's contract.
"Depending on where the Warriors land in a cap tax situation, I believe he is slated to potentially make upwards of the full Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception. There's also been some discussion about whether or not he could potentially be receiving a two-year deal with a player option on his deal, as well."
Considering one of the primary sticking points in the Kuminga negotiations is the second-year team option Golden State is hoping to include, this is the ultimate slap in the face.
Warriors offered Jonathan Kuminga team option, but may give Al Horford player option
Horford is a decorated player with a résumé that commands respect and justifies the player option he may soon have included in his contract. He's an NBA champion, a reliable two-way player, and a respected veteran presence who fits the Warriors' culture.
The bottom line from Kuminga's end of the negotiating table may not be quite as nuanced, however, as this comes down two numbers: 22 and 39.
If Fischer's report proves true, then Golden State is considering giving a 39-year-old veteran with 18 seasons of wear-and-tear a second-year player option. However, it's not only unwilling to give a productive 22-year-old scorer a second-year player option, but wants to replace it with a team option.
Just when it seemed as though the negotiations between Kuminga and the Warriors couldn't get any more tense, the player's side of the table has been handed new motivation to wait the process out.
Perhaps it's unfair to compare one contract to another, especially when one considers the leverage Horford has as arguably the most proven commodity on the open market. Horford has also accomplished significantly more than Kuminga up to this point in their respective careers.
Offering a new player the very contractual element that's holding up negotiations with an incumbent talent who has four years of sweat equity, however, is a dangerous decision.
Perhaps nothing will come of this development, Kuminga will agree to terms with the Warriors on a mutually beneficial resolution, and Horford will sign his new deal without a whisper of external discontent. Golden State's dangerous game simply won't relent, however, as they seemingly tempt fate with every new story.
One can only hope that Kuminga won't care that the Warriors appear open to giving a 39-year-old veteran a player option while refusing to budge on the team option in his own deal.