Investing on Jonathan Kuminga is the Golden State Warriors’ plan after losing out on a blockbuster deal for Lauri Markkanen. However, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the 21-year-old wants a maximum contract.
He revealed to cohost Dan Devine that the impending extension of forward Brandin Podziemski was the reason behind the Utah Jazz’s purported interest in him over Kuminga.
Fischer stated on the August 7 program, “I think that is just as much of the extension numbers Jonathan Kuminga would like, than it is about anything that these two guys have done on the floor.” According to a number of insiders in the league, Kuminga and his legal team are requesting a complete maximum extension.
RealGM reports that the contract is expected to cost $224 million over five years.
Behind Draymond Green and Steph Curry, Kuminga was Golden State’s third-best player in the previous season, according to Fischer. That seems rather objective to me, and it applies to both sides of the floor. With the arrival of the new year, he made enormous, enormous progress, going on a run of consecutive 20-point games. They are putting greater faith in him to play make-out situations in the pinch-post position. However, he hasn’t in any way shown Golden State staff that he’s worth that money right now.
Kuminga just finished his third NBA season, all of which he spent with the Warriors. In 74 regular-season games with Golden State last season, he averaged 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists.
However, if the Warriors don’t think he’s worth $224 million, he would be a huge help in improving the squad.
Golden State Is Not Interested in Zach LaVine or Brandon Ingram
Golden State will keep doing their research on potential players as long as Curry is playing like a top-5 NBA talent.
Zach LaVine and Brandon Ingram can be crossed off the list of potential arrivals by Warriors supporters, according Shams Charania of The Athletic.
As of August 9, both have been talked about a lot as potential candidates for the NBA trade market.
After his eighth season, which was his fifth with the New Orleans Pelicans, Ingram is currently off the court. In a game last year, he averaged 20.8 points, 5.7 assists, and 5.1 rebounds.
LaVine just suffered a foot injury with the Chicago Bulls that ended his season. In 25 games played the previous year, he averaged 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists.
With enough resources to execute a roster-altering deal, Golden State will wait out and hope the proper player becomes available.
In addition to a young group of players in Podziemski, Jackson-Davis, Moody, and Jonathan Kuminga, the Warriors “maintain control of all but one of their future first-round picks (a 2030 top-20 protected pick outgoing to Washington), providing flexibility and ammunition to be an aggressive buyer all the way up to February’s deadline,” according to Charania.
Next Season, Kuminga and Podziemski Are Ready For Bigger Roles
The Warriors, who lost Klay Thompson to free agency, will look to Kuminga and Podziemski to fill the scoring void.
Last season, Thompson scored 17.9 points per game on average. Buddy Hield was added to Golden State’s guard rotation as a countermove, but Podziemski is still the favorite to start.
According to Cleaning the Glass, the Warriors outscored opponents by 14.5 points per 100 possessions in 1280 possessions with Curry, Podziemski, and Thompson off the court.
When Kuminga is included, the percentage increases to 14.6 points per 100 in 793 possessions.
Golden State is hoping that, if not improve even more, those outcomes may be sustained throughout the upcoming campaign. The Warriors’ chances of winning a title will depend on their young players for the first time since Curry and Thompson were selected.
