Warriors-Kuminga Standoff Takes Another Mysterious Turn

There is no end in sight to the Golden State Warriors–Jonathan Kuminga stalemate that has held hostage the team’s offseason following a concerning update.

Kuminga and the Warriors “haven’t had contact for a couple of weeks,” according to Danny Emerman of The San Francisco Standard, citing a source with knowledge of the situation.

The Warriors’ standing offer of a two-year, $45 million contract with a team option on the second year remains. The deal on the table also includes a stipulation that Kuminga relinquishes the inherent no-trade clause.

On the other hand, Kuminga wants a player option on the second year of the deal.

The 22-year-old forward refuses to accept the Warriors’ standing offer because he doesn’t want to cede full control of his future to a team he believes had stunted his growth, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater.

Kuminga could have a change of heart if the Warriors reconsider their offer.

“I think that Jonathan Kuminga’s side would take this one-plus-one situation with Golden State, this two-year, $45 million offer that’s been on the table if he were to get a player option in year two,” Fischer said on Bleacher Report’s “NBA Insider Notebook” livestreamed on Aug. 7. “But I was told yesterday (Aug. 6) from various sources that Golden State is going to be holding firm that the second year is going to be a team option. And that’s kind of where the staring contest is at.”

Kuminga has also expressed willingness to take the $7.9 million qualifying offer that will make him an unrestricted free agent after next season, which is the worst-case scenario for the Warriors.

Kuminga-Giddey Swap is Not Happening

While the Warriors have registered their interest in the Chicago Bulls‘ own restricted free agent Josh Giddey, a double sign-and-trade with Kuminga isn’t in the works, according to ClutchPoint’s Brett Siegel.

“Although interest from other teams may exist, the Warriors are not actively pursuing Giddey this offseason, team sources from both organizations confirmed. The Bulls have not held sign-and-trade talks with the Dubs regarding Giddey and Kuminga, a scenario that would be very difficult for both teams to solve financially,” Siegel reported on Aug. 11.

In the same Aug. 7 livestream at Bleacher Report, Fischer said the Warriors have reached out to Giddey’s representative about their interest in the Australian point guard. Fischer further added that the Warriors have a long-held interest in Giddey.

“To my understanding, the Warriors were prepared on draft night way back in 2021 for Jonathan Kuminga to go no. 6 to Oklahoma City and they were ready to take Josh Giddey at no. 7,” Fischer said.

But the Thunder picked Giddey and the Warriors ended up with Kuminga, who never found his footing in Steve Kerr’s system.

Warriors Miss Out on Free Agent Target

The Warriors lost one of their free agent targets amid the stalemate with Kuminga.

On Aug. 11, ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania reported that Javonte Green is finalizing a one-year deal to join the Detroit Pistons.

Fischer previously reported in the same Bleacher Report livestream that Green was “someone the Warriors have linked in the past.”

The 32-year-old defensive wing had already played in the Warriors system with his stint at Santa Cruz in the G League during the 2023-24 season. The 6-foot-5 wing split his time last season between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Cleveland Cavaliers. He averaged 5.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 18.5 minutes across 68 games last season.