The biggest stalemate of the 2025-26 NBA offseason has finally come to an end. Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors have officially agreed upon a two-year deal worth $48.5 million. It may seem like the battle is over, but many NBA analysts don’t see the partnership lasting much longer.
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Once the 2024-25 season concluded, Jonathan Kuminga made it clear he had moved on from the idea of being a member of the Golden State Warriors. He wasn’t a fan of how head coach Steve Kerr was utilizing his abilities. Even going as far as to state that feeling like a “pawn.”
Unfortunately for Kuminga and his camp, restricted free agency wasn’t kind to his wishes. Plenty of teams didn’t have the excess of available money to throw in his direction. Considering the Warriors could match any offer sheet he signed, his future was still at the mercy of Golden State’s management.
Eventually, Kuminga and the Warriors were able to find a solution that satisfied both parties to a certain extent. The media couldn’t wait for the opportunity to speak to Kuminga to gain further insight into his future with the team. Without revealing too much, he spoke words of optimism.
“I’m here now,” Kuminga said while addressing the media. “That’s everybody’s goal to be somewhere longer.”
Certainly, at points of negotiation, Kuminga may have questioned the Warriors’ desires to keep him long-term. That belief has since changed after agreeing to a new contract. “I would say so based on me being back here,” Kuminga said.
ESPN analyst Tim MacMahon isn’t buying the possibility that the two parties have found a long-term solution. In his eyes, this is merely an arrangement for the present.
“This is a fine temporary solution,” MacMahon said on The Hoop Collective. “I don’t think it’s in Kuminga’s best interest to be raising hell during the season. He would have preferred to go somewhere else. Everybody understands that.”
Kuminga’s contract gives the Warriors flexibility to potentially move on from their arrangements at the trade deadline. An annual salary of $24 million is easier to offload than $30 million. However, if the fifth-year forward is still on the team by the trade deadline, it could cause some strife in MacMahon’s eyes.
“If he’s still there after the trade deadline, could that get toxic? I could certainly see that,” MacMahon confessed.
Hopefully, for the Warriors and their fans’ sake, that doesn’t happen. Kuminga has the potential to be an x-factor for this group as they compete for an NBA championship. It might not be the most ideal situation for the 22-year-old, but it’s his reality for the upcoming season.
