The Golden State Warriors' lackluster offseason has revolved around one player: Jonathan Kuminga. The 22-year-old former top 10 pick has spent four seasons in the Bay, and calling his journey a rollercoaster would be putting it lightly. This summer feels like the tipping point -- a point of no return in this relationship.
Kuminga and his camp haven’t been shy about voicing frustrations with Steve Kerr and the lack of trust and development he’s received throughout his career. After a regular season that ended with him falling entirely out of the rotation, Kuminga became a rare positive in the Warriors’ second-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, stepping up in the wake of Stephen Curry’s injury.
Kuminga caught fire, dropping 18, 30, 23 and 26 in four-straight games. The problem? The Warriors didn’t win a single one. All they did was hand the rest of the league a free look at their young forward’s full potential without making anyone pay for it.
Warriors may regret declining Jonathan Kuminga trade offer
After the season, Kuminga was headed for restricted free agency, which meant the Warriors’ front office had all the leverage. Unless a team with serious cap space was ready to hand him the $30+ million he wanted, Golden State could match any offer and keep him.
Kuminga has already turned down multiple extension offers from the Warriors, locked in on getting a sign-and-trade. The problem? There weren’t many teams both willing to make the move and holding the kind of assets Golden State wanted.
The Sacramento Kings have got the closest, reportedly offering a lottery-protected 2030 first-round pick and veteran guard Malik Monk. If that 2030 pick didn’t convey, it would turn into an unprotected 2031 first but be the least favorable between their selection and that of the San Antonio Spurs.
Golden State GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. hasn't bitten. He's stayed firm, pushing for more draft capital or younger talent. As Tim Kawakami of the San Francisco Standard reported earlier in the week, Kuminga is now expected to stick around -- at least until next year’s trade deadline when the Warriors will likely shop him again.
Will they regret it? Expecting a young player you’ve already put on the trade block to perform at a high level is risky. It can even split a locker room and create the kind of awkward, toxic vibe that hangs over a season. And right now, this whole standoff is a big reason the Warriors are the only team in the league that hasn’t made a single offseason move.