The Golden State Warriors have stepped back into negotiations with Jonathan Kuminga, but the talks are still far from resolved.
According to reporting from Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of ESPN, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. placed a fresh proposal on the table. The offer is structured as three years for $75.2 million, with the final season under a team option. That setup guarantees $48.3 million across the first two years while leaving Golden State in control of the third.
The financials line up with what Josh Giddey secured in Chicago earlier this summer, though Kuminga’s deal is written in a way that benefits the Warriors more than the player. Several league insiders see this not as a franchise declaring Kuminga untouchable, but rather as a move to position him as a trade asset.
This is not the first time Golden State has emphasized team options in their talks. Earlier frameworks centered on two years at $45 million, again with conditions tied to flexibility and with the removal of the no-trade clause connected to his qualifying offer.
Kuminga and his representatives, however, continue to resist. They are pressing for a player option to protect his future, signaling they would even accept a lower annual figure if it meant greater control. The Warriors, according to sources, have completely shut down any discussion involving player options.
Last week, Kuminga’s side presented a one-year bridge concept. The idea was to bump his 2024–25 salary above the $7.9 million qualifying offer while keeping the path open for unrestricted free agency the following summer. It also would have made him easier to move during the season.
Warriors owner Joe Lacob declined that structure, pointing out the danger of losing Kuminga outright in 2025 without compensation. His rejection has left both sides stuck as training camp draws near.
Kuminga is entering the season off the strongest campaign of his career, where he averaged 15.3 points and 4.6 rebounds while playing a crucial two-way role. At times he carried stretches when Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green were sidelined.
Although Lacob and head coach Steve Kerr have both voiced public support, the organization has quietly tested the waters. Teams such as the Sacramento Kings have checked in on sign-and-trade possibilities, but nothing has advanced beyond preliminary interest.
The deadline of October 1 now looms. If Kuminga accepts the qualifying offer, he gains a no-trade clause for this season and reaches unrestricted free agency in 2026. The downside is walking away from tens of millions in guaranteed money, a gamble that adds even more weight to the decision ahead.
