The Golden State Warriors and restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga have finally found common ground on a new contract, which underlines exactly how much the two entities actually failed to find common ground, generally.
Kuminga is signing a two-year deal worth $48.5 million, but the second year is a team option, which means the can is really being kicked a year down the road.
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Contentious relationship
During the four-year partnership between Kuminga and the Warriors, the forward has been jerked around plenty in regard to his role. This has seemingly soured him on the organization.
On the flip side, the Warriors haven’t felt as though they could trust Kuminga to offer a good feel for their offense nor that they could play him extended minutes. This has seemingly soured them on his development.
Basically, both sides clearly wanted to move on from each other, but at the end of the day, it proved too difficult. Kuminga’s status as a restricted free agent complicated matters from a contractual and trade perspective, leaving the two sides in a tough spot.
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The situation is, in many ways, hilarious.
Golden State’s front office has known for years it wasn’t keen on Kuminga’s long-term outlook, but repeatedly failed to pull the trigger on a deal. Now the Warriors spent months negotiating with a player who clearly didn’t feel wanted — justifiably so — and will have to now attempt to trade him on a contract that’s short, meaning any receiving team will fork over less for his services.
It’s all just been a complete mess.
Kuminga’s upcoming season
Now the focus shifts from contractual analysis to a more singular element: How will Kuminga play?
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The Warriors can’t afford to bury him on the bench, especially if they wish to trade him. In fact, now more than ever, they should be more motivated to play him to increase his value.
What happens if Kuminga should now turn into an All-Star caliber player? What if this is the year he takes the leap?
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Sure, the two sides have time to hash out new terms next summer, but is Kuminga even interested in sticking around?
This all is very much a marriage of convenience for now, but for Kuminga, this opportunity might be just what the doctor ordered for his future prospects.
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At the end of the day, though, the Warriors couldn’t afford to just see him pick up the one-year qualifying offer. They weren’t successful when they tried building a new and younger team around Stephen Curry and will now just have to embrace that when the aging Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler are done, it’s going to be a long, uncomfortable rebuilding process.
For that, they need as many assets as possible to squeeze out value for the future. Kuminga is one such asset, and that’s why they eventually saw the necessity in keeping him around, at least for now.
Kuminga got paid, and the Warriors didn’t lose a trade chip for nothing. So far, it’s a reluctant win-win, and maybe the most reluctant win-win in NBA transaction history.
