The Golden State Warriors have drawn a line in the sand with Jonathan Kuminga as despite months of tension and trade speculation, the franchise has blocked the forward’s attempts to move on.
The Warriors’ summer negotiations with Kuminga never reached common ground. According to reports, Golden State tabled two significant extension offers-a two-year, $45 million proposal and a three-year, $75 million option.
Both were declined by the 22-year-old’s representatives, largely due to the absence of a player option in the final year, and the refusal forward unsettled as he pressed for a way out.
The organization, however, has halted those discussions because they have hatched a calculated plan to preserve financial maneuverability for a bigger prize: the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The two-time MVP is currently under contract on a three-year, $175.3 million deal that concludes after the 2027-28 season. By then, Antetokounmpo will be 34 and entering unrestricted free agency.
The timing aligns precisely with the expiration of Golden State‘s veteran trio, opening the door for a possible marquee signing to take the Chase Center into the new era – or at least begin the transition.
The groundwork for such a pursuit has already been laid. Antetokounmpo has expressed admiration for Stephen Curry, once calling him the best player in the world. That mutual respect, paired with Golden State’s deliberate salary cap planning, strengthens the plausibility of a future partnership.
For now, the Warriors must navigate an unsettled present. Kuminga remains on the roster but without long-term certainty. Fans see the tension, yet, the front office appears undeterred as they chase after bigger fish.
Kuminga could have been traded to the Sacramento Kings
NBA insider Jake Fischer has reported that the Warriors and Kuminga have not extended the October 1 deadline for his qualifying offer. League rules allow teams and players to agree to extend such deadlines.
But the lack of progress between both sides makes that outcome unlikely, and as a result, the expectation is that his contract situation will need to be resolved in the coming days.
The ongoing impasse was nearly avoided. Fischer revealed that the Sacramento Kings made another attempt to restart sign-and-trade discussions.
“Fischer confirms the Kings tried to restart sign-and-trade talks for Kuminga, but the Warriors aren’t interested in taking back Malik Monk,” Fischer reports. “In part because of his $21.5MM player option for ’27/28.
“The Warriors want to maintain maximum roster flexibility for the 2027 offseason, Fischer explains, when the contracts of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green expire.”
That decision reflects a broader organizational strategy. With the contracts of Curry, Butler, and Green concluding in 2027, Golden State’s leadership is intent on keeping its cap space clear.
On the court, the impasse mirrors Kuminga’s stagnating role. Despite flashes of athleticism and scoring promise, Coach Steve Kerr has consistently limited the young forward’s minutes.
The addition of Jimmy Butler only deepened the rotation squeeze, leaving Kuminga without a clear long-term fit.
For many observers, a trade to Sacramento might have provided both the player and the franchise with a resolution. Golden State, however, sees Kuminga’s situation as secondary to a larger ambition.
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