The Golden State Warriors are still trying to retain restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, but he is continuing to decline their two-year, $45 million contract offer. The main reason for his reluctance is the team’s insistence on having a team option for the second season and their unwillingness to let him maintain the built-in no-trade clause.
Kuminga’s agent has presented the Warriors with alternative frameworks, including a three-year deal worth around $82 million that would allow them to stay below the luxury tax threshold. However, the Warriors have been uninterested in signing this offer, instead signaling a plan to cut off sign-and-trade conversations entirely.
The most significant negotiations have been with the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns, who have offered Kuminga four-year contracts worth up to $90 million total. The Warriors are unwilling to match these offers, with their current stance being that Kuminga will be on the roster next season either through their two-year offer or a one-year qualifying offer.
Kuminga is willing to take the longer-term offers from the Kings and Suns because he believes they would provide him with a fresh start, a larger guaranteed role, and more career control. He also prefers the player option included in these proposals, which would give him greater control over his next NBA home.
The stalemate is largely about control, with Kuminga believing that accepting the Warriors’ offer would cede too much power to the franchise. The Warriors believe they have the best offer on the table due to the high starting salary and team option concept.
With an Oct. 1 deadline looming, Kuminga must decide whether to sign the qualifying offer or continue to explore his options. His future with the Warriors remains uncertain, but it’s clear that control is a major factor in this decision.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45859355/sources-jonathan-kuminga-declining-warriors-offer-terms