Has Jonathan Kuminga’s time with the Golden State Warriors come to an end? Journalist Jake Fischer thinks the Congolese national could sign a short-term contract with the team, especially in light of his salary demands that other interested franchises simply cannot meet. But then, it may not be that simple a contract extension for Kuminga.
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The Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans, and Miami Heat are all interested in the power forward. The Heat reportedly inquired of him during negotiations with the Warriors for Jimmy Butler III earlier this year. But Kuminga is said to have been asking for $30 million annually, which the Heat couldn’t offer.
The Heat just signed Duncan Robinson instead. The Pelicans have no easy route to sign him, and the Bulls are playing a waiting game, if they are playing at all. While Fischer revealed that Sacramento might be interested, nothing fruitful has yet come out of their talks with Golden State. Add to that, Kuminga may not be a great fit for the Warriors either, feels a former Miami Heat star.
There’s also no real information about whether Kuminga is willing to negotiate his hefty price tag. And, with the market refusing to oblige, this could allow the Warriors to broker a deal, at least on a short-term basis, at a price that Kuminga might have no choice but to accept.
But, according to Heat legend Udonis Haslem, he should want to go where he can become the best player he can be.
“He should go and be his best version, and I don’t think that’s going to happen in the Golden State. And it’s nothing against Golden State. It’s nothing against Kuminga. It’s just not a good fit, especially when you bring in a guy like Jimmy Butler,” Haslem asserted.
“Jimmy Butler is a d**n good basketball player. He needs to have a ball in his hands. He’s going to make other guys better. He’s going to defend on the other end. His basketball IQ is out of the roof,” described Haslem.
“And that’s where he gets the edge with Kuminga, where you put him in a game, you put him with Steph. You put him with those other guys, and you don’t miss a beat,” he argued.
Haslem maintains that Kuminga has his own style of playing and should absolutely put on another jersey where he gets to showcase the best of his talents. “You put Kuminga in, and it’s a little bit of a standstill. He gets the ball in his hands; he wants to do this thing,” he said.
“So Jonatham Kuminga should look for a situation or an opportunity to be his best version. It is his time, and he should not feel bad about that at all. Oftentimes, we make guys feel bad about wanting to step into the light and be their best version,” Haslem continued.
“[Kuminga]’s played the game. He’s been in Golden State long enough. This is the guy who’s 15 points per game, 45% from the field. He’s a d**n good basketball player. It’s his time to shine, and he wants his opportunity, and I don’t blame him,” he added.
Kuminga had been in and out of the Warriors’ squad since returning from a sprained ankle on March 13. It also doesn’t help that coach Steve Kerr has gone public with his stance on whether Kuminga fits with the Warriors, especially since Butler’s arrival.
Kerr asserts Kuminga is a bad fit
“Every game is different, and I think Jimmy’s arrival took away a lot of Jonathan’s minutes at the four,” Kerr clarified to 95.7 The Game’s Mark T. Willard and Dan Dibley earlier last week.
“We went like 17 and 3 or something, so we’re going to keep doing what’s been winning. But the lineup with Jimmy, Jonathan, and Draymond [Green] doesn’t fit real well, frankly. It just doesn’t. We need more spacing. We’ve found other lineups that have clicked, and this is just part of the deal, being in the NBA, and you’ve got to adapt to whatever’s happening with the team,” added the Warriors’ coach.
Kerr, however, noted that Kuminga had done a great job at adjusting to the revised team dynamic and had worked hard for his spot. Unfortunately, that simply isn’t enough.
“He’s playing well when he’s out there. But I’m just going with the line of combinations that I think are going to give us the best chance to win, and there’s going to be nights where he’s absolutely part of that, like the Lakers game, and then there’s going to be nights where I go to Buddy [Hield] or Moses [Moody] or Gary Payton,” said Kerr.
In 32 games before his ankle injury, Kuminga averaged 16.8 points in 26 minutes. But in the 14 games after his return, he only played 21.1 minutes and contributed 12.4 points per game. It will be interesting to see where he ends up for the 2025-2026 season.
