The Golden State Warriors have been stuck in purgatory this offseason, trying to figure out a solution to their restricted free agency problem with 22-year-old forward Jonathan Kuminga.
Kuminga ended his 2024-25 campaign with an impressive four-game stretch in the second round of the NBA playoffs, leading the Warriors in scoring while Steph Curry was sidelined with an injury. While this was great for the Warriors to have their former seventh-overall pick step up like this, it has come back to bite them in free agency.
Coming off some of the best games of his career in a playoff situation, Kuminga and his camp have been asking the Warriors for an average annual salary of around $30 million in his next contract, but he reportedly does not want to return to Golden State.
To minimal surprise, the Warriors are not looking to pay Kuminga that much money, and have been actively exploring sign-and-trade options to find him a new home. Not only do the Warriors not want to pay Kuminga $30 million per year, but their best offer is nowhere near that mark. NBA insider Marc Stein reported on Monday what the Warriors' best offers for Kuminga have been.
"Word is that the Warriors' best offers to Kuminga have topped out in the two-year $40 million range," Stein wrote. "Kuminga's camp has continued to seek out sign-and-trade opportunities, with Sacramento and Phoenix still regarded as the most determined suitors, but Golden State is said to want a first-round pick in any sign-and-trade deal. The Suns do not have an available first-round pick to offer."
The Warriors and Kuminga are certainly far from an agreement, and both sides are undoubtedly hoping they can find a viable sign-and-trade solution.
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