The squad from the Bay Area is approaching their training commencement in under a fortnight, yet they haven’t finalized a pact with Jonathan Kuminga, a restricted free agent, after drawn-out talks. With the youthful forward hesitant to accept any of the rumored trio of offers from his current employers, he and his representatives are now employing their most significant point of influence to potentially secure an agreement: the qualifying proposal.
Kuminga’s representative informed a well-known sports outlet that Kuminga is prepared to consider the qualifying offer, which would bind him to his current team for a year at a cost of $7.9 million, enabling him to enter unrestricted free agency the following offseason.
“He’s inclined to accept the QO,” representative Aaron Turner expressed on a sports podcast. “However, if he’s treated with fairness, which to us means converting the [team option] to a [player option], he’ll return, and we won’t need to deliberate the QO. But the QO is a tangible option. It’s something that JK is willing to consider. It offers advantages. He can’t be traded. He’ll gain unrestricted free agency.”
Jonathan Kuminga agreement: Bay Area forward declines latest offer from management amid deadlock, sources say
Robby Kalland
The team and player options Turner mentioned constitute the primary dispute in Kuminga’s negotiations. The young player seeks a player option towards the end of his agreement, affording him the chance to demonstrate his value as a free agent in a more advantageous market. So far, the Warriors have declined to incorporate this into his long-term agreement, only consenting to a team option.
“He desires the liberty to select his destination and the chance to become an unrestricted free agent in a significantly improved market,” Turner stated. “Therefore, the QO is certainly a viable option. It’s under serious consideration. It’s being discussed. … Nevertheless, it’s not the preferred path for anyone involved.”
The Bay Area team made an accommodation by adding a third year to their most recent offer, yet Kuminga remained unmoved and rejected the proposition due to the team option for that third year. This offer represents the third distinct framework the Warriors have reportedly presented.
Kuminga’s most financially rewarding option involves a three-year agreement for $75.2 million, featuring a team option for the third year. If he’s unwilling to commit for three years, he could accept a two-year deal for $45 million, accompanied by a team option for the second year. There’s also a third offer lacking any options, providing Kuminga with a considerably reduced salary over a three-year span, totaling $54 million.
Turner clarified that Kuminga’s ultimate intention isn’t necessarily to depart from the Bay Area team, but rather to grant himself the flexibility to do so if another team presents him with a more substantial and guaranteed role. The former first-round selection only initiated 10 games out of 47 last season and has never surpassed 46 starts in a campaign, despite his output. Kuminga averaged 16.1 points per game with a 52.9% shooting accuracy in 2024, before experiencing a slight decrease to 15.3 points on 45.4% last year.
