Warriors’ purported asking price Outstanding Forward May Initiate Another Free Agency Situation
Over the previous two years, the Golden State Warriors have encountered noteworthy contract difficulties, as both experienced players Draymond Green and Klay Thompson are set to hit unrestricted free agency.
After a season of uncertainty about his future, Thompson left for the Dallas Mavericks, but Green eventually re-signed on a four-year, $100 million contract. Now that the offseason is winding down, more attention is being paid to the Warriors’ upcoming major deal decision.
Given his alleged asking price, Jonathan Kuminga may enter free agency in a manner akin to that of Golden State Warriors veterans.
Although Jonathan Kuminga appears to be one of Golden State’s most vital players at the moment, how will this be reflected in the rookie forward’s contract negotiations this offseason? In a recent No Cap Room episode, Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer stated that the 21-year-old is seeking a full max rookie deal.
After hearing about Fischer’s story on the most recent episode of the Warriors Plus Minus podcast, Anthony Slater and Tim Kawakami of The Athletic raised the possibility that the former seventh overall choice might sign a five-year, $224 million deal.
Kuminga believes he is now worth $40 million. We discussed self-assurance. It’s alright. That’s how you want your players to feel, said Kawakami. “After that, contract talks begin, and the Warriors will find it extremely challenging to pay Jonathan Kuminga $35 million a year at this time.”
Despite the lack of evidence that Golden State has genuinely put Kuminga available for trade, his contract predicament has made him a less desirable prospect in the league.
If Kuminga really wants the maximum extension, it’s difficult to see how an agreement can be achieved. In contrast to Thompson, who had a full season to negotiate a contract, Kuminga would need to sign a deal before the season began in order to avoid becoming a restricted free agent in 2025.
Although Franz Wagner, Cade Cunningham, and Scottie Barnes are among the top 10 choices from 2021 and have already agreed to a maximum contract, all three of those players have outperformed Kuminga thus far in their careers.
That doesn’t imply Kuminga can’t perform at a comparable or even better level, especially considering how well he performed in the second half of the previous season with more reliable opportunities. It will be hard to see the Warriors grant a max deal, though, given the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Kuminga’s ability to play a major role once training camp begins in October.
