It’s been reported during the NBA offseason that the Golden State Warriors have offered Jonathan Kuminga deals to get something done. It’s an unfortunate situation for the Warriors to be in with Kuminga, but something that doesn’t seem to be getting resolved anytime in the near future.
Kuminga believes that the Warriors are undervaluing him, and from a 22-year-old’s perspective, it’s tough to blame him. If Kuminga believes that he has the potential to be a star in the NBA and wants more money or a better opportunity elsewhere, Golden State should let him have that if it doesn’t plan to play him.
According to the latest report from NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson, that’s what it sounds like the problem is.
What’s the latest on Jonathan Kuminga?
Kuminga wants to be in a situation where he can have opportunities, and this offseason has only shown him that he wants to control his own destiny to guarantee himself as much success as he can as a player.
“Through four years, Kuminga and the Warriors have yet to find common ground on who he presently is as a player, who he can be with more opportunities and who he will be in the future,” Johnson wrote. “The way this offseason has played out only has furthered Kuminga’s desire to control his own destiny and how his future plays out. Kuminga wants to make sure that no matter who his next employer is, he’s comfortable and confident he is being set up for success from the start.
“Kuminga doesn’t want to be used as a ‘pawn’ for a team where he has seen himself as the scapegoat, and he still doesn’t fully know what his role will be going into his fifth NBA season with the likelihood that he still isn’t a starter and might not close games.”
The likeliest outcome in the scenario is for the Warriors to keep Kuminga around on a deal they want. It’s unlikely that Kuminga will get all the money he’s looking for, if even close to that, considering no other team around the league can realistically offer him a path to get paid.
