Jonathan Kuminga fires back at Warriors owner amid contract standoff

The Jonathan Kuminga saga has stretched through the entire offseason, frustrating the Golden State Warriors front office. The contract holdout has prevented the team from making other moves, including a push for veteran big man Al Horford.

With the Warriors unwilling to accept trade offers from the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns, Kuminga faces a decision between signing a one-year, $7.9 million qualifying offer or a three-year, $75.2 million extension.

As a restricted free agent, Kuminga can sign an offer sheet with another team, but with minimal cap space available around the league, Golden State is likely to match any deal. 

Kuminga has shown little interest in the extension if it only means being traded soon after. Although it would cost him money this season, he may take the qualifying offer to reach unrestricted free agency sooner.

In a recent meeting with the Warriors, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater and Shams Charania, owner Joe Lacob asked Kuminga: “Do you want to be here?” Kuminga replied: “Do you even want me here?” 

The Warriors ultimately want to keep Kuminga and his trade value to shop him around the league, while Kuminga wants a chance to flourish within an organization — and, if not with Golden State, the ability to reach free agency.

Slater and Charania also reported that Lacob was a “driving force” in drafting Kuminga when some coaches preferred Franz Wagner. That appears to be long gone now, as the organization would likely prefer Wagner given the current standoff.

With training camp beginning at the end of the month, the Warriors will be eager to reach a resolution soon in order to finalize the rest of the roster.