What does the future hold for the Golden State Warriors? It’s a question many around the league are looking for an answer to ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season. Perhaps Klay Thompson’s departure signals some sort of internal fracture for Golden State, or perhaps Stephen Curry’s latest contract extension helps paint a picture of what the future looks like. While there are plenty of uncertainties surrounding the Warriors that won’t really be resolved until the season begins, the underlying factor that controls their destiny is Jonathan Kuminga.
When the Warriors selected Kuminga with the seventh overall pick in 2021, he was nothing more than a swoop from Bob Myers and Golden State management. Kuminga was by no means talented enough at 19 to come into the league as a top-10 pick and contribute right away, but the potential for him to become a two-way star was enough for the Warriors to take a big gamble on him.
Kuminga’s growth so far has been nothing short of spectacular, and he’s proven to be one of the NBA’s most improved players heading into the 2023-24 season. In fact, it’s not hard to argue that Kuminga was the team’s third-most important player behind Curry and Draymond Green, surpassing the importance Thompson held for so many years. Thompson is no longer with the Warriors, and given Andrew Wiggins’ struggles last season, there’s a clear path for Kuminga to become the Warriors’ second-leading scorer behind Curry.
The problem with Kuminga is that his contract situation is going to have a direct domino effect on every move the Warriors are able to make over the next few years. The young forward will enter training camp ahead of the 2024-25 season in the final year of his rookie contract. Kuminga to receive substantial, long-term extension The Warriors’ biggest question mark is the biggest question facing this franchise.
However, given the way general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. has handled this offseason, there is some skepticism about how the contract talks with Kuminga will play out. Could this be Kuminga’s final year in a Warriors uniform? More importantly, what will the Warriors decide to do before the Oct. 21 deadline to reach an agreement with Kuminga on a contract extension?
Negotiations to extend Jonathan Kuminga’s contract
The decision to extend Jonathan Kuminga’s contract before the start of the 2024-25 season is a move that dramatically changes the Warriors’ future. While Kuminga has proven to be a vital part of Golden State’s new core, a multitude of factors come into play with his contract situation, starting with the team’s financial situation.
After cutting Chris Paul in the offseason, as well as seeing Thompson joins Dallas MavericksThe Warriors were able to significantly reduce their salary cap and get under the first and second salary caps. The Warriors operate as an above-the-cap team, which is important since they have historically been one of the highest-paying teams in terms of luxury taxes. For once, owner Joe Lacob and his organization have a lot of wiggle room when it comes to trades and future contracts.
If Kuminga were to be given a long-term, high-paying contract extension right now, that flexibility and all the work the Warriors did this offseason to maintain financial control of their roster would disappear in the blink of an eye. That’s why talk of a contract extension hasn’t really been relevant.
Throughout the offseason, Kuminga has been kept out of trade talks by the Warriors, league sources told ClutchPoints. Warriors pursue All-Star forward Paul George while he was still with the Los Angeles Clippers, but Kuminga ended up being the breaking point in those discussions as Golden State had no desire to trade the young forward.
While it’s clear the Warriors want to keep Kuminga, the price tag on a potential new contract is what dictates the future. Kuminga and his camp are obviously looking for the most money given his influence on the organization and the potential for long-term growth. The contracts that Scottie Barnes and Franz Wagner received this summer, $225 million over five years, are what Kuminga’s camp is looking for.
The same can’t be said for the Warriors, sources said, as their estimates are significantly lower. The Warriors are likely looking at $140 million to $155 million in initial talks regarding Kuminga. That’s where the logjam is right now, and it’s why there’s been no traction or momentum suggesting a new deal will be reached before the start of the 2024-25 season. Similar remarks were also made by Anthony Slater of The Athletic regarding the lack of “significant progress“charges have been brought against Kuminga.
The situation Kuminga faces and the Oct. 21 deadline are significant simply because the Warriors don’t know what they’re going to look like. Buddy Hield, De’Anthony Melton and Kyle Anderson are new veteran faces who have joined the fold and provide plenty of reasons to still believe in Golden State. But the Warriors are still an organization looking to make a big move.
No deals were reached for George or Lauri Markkanen this offseason, raising more questions about whether the Warriors will maximize their assets to capitalize on the big names that become available during the 2024-25 season.
Warriors’ flexibility influences Kuminga’s decision
There are less than three weeks left until the Warriors start training camp. In total, there are about six weeks left until the start of the 2024-25 season. At this point, it’s safe to say that the Warriors are done making changes to their roster in terms of offseason additions.
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With Thompson and Paul gone, the The warriors were able to extend their depth in key areas they lacked a season ago. Hield and Melton will bring more three-point shooting to Steve Kerr’s rotations, and Anderson brings stability behind Green, Wiggins and Kuminga as a versatile forward who can help get the offense going in the second unit. It’s also worth mentioning that Melton is a solid perimeter defender and will be relied upon heavily for his combo guard abilities.
At full strength, the Warriors certainly seem like a team capable of competing in the Western Conference on paper. But that was the case last season, and that team missed the playoffs.
It’s no coincidence that the Warriors have won four of the last 10 championships. This organization understands that it takes big moves in free agency and the trade market to become a championship-caliber franchise, and the Warriors went big this offseason when they pursued George and Markkanen.
No less should be expected from the Warriors for the 2024-25 season, which is when Kuminga’s contract extension negotiations come into play. By keeping things as they are and not giving Kuminga a new contract, the Warriors can preserve their current flexibility when it comes to the NBA trade market.
It’s inevitable that star players become available and look to be traded, and there’s at least one All-Star talent that leaves at the trade deadline every season. The Warriors are in a very advantageous position compared to other contending teams right now, simply because they have the ability to take on an All-Star-type contract while also shedding mid-level contracts currently on their roster to balance the finances.
If Kuminga were to get a new deal, the Warriors would be tied up and restricted, meaning they would be banking entirely on the young forward as a future player. As he prepares to enter his fourth NBA season with the Warriors, Kuminga still has room to grow and prove that he can eventually become an All-Star talent, similar to what Golden State fans saw with Wiggins just a few years ago.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the Warriors don’t want to keep Kuminga, but pending his current contract and looking ahead to next offseason, all options are on the table for how Golden State wants his future to play out. After all, every season is unpredictable, and anything can happen between now and next June.
