Jonathan Kuminga had by far the most interesting and long-standing free agency of the offseason. He and the Golden State Warriors eventually agreed to a 2-year, $48.5 million contract to end the stalemate. But it came with some strings attached, like a second-year team option, and the most likely outcome is that he will be traded well before the end of these two years.
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Regardless, Kuminga is officially with the Warriors for the foreseeable future, and the team is ready to get to work with him. They have high hopes of making a resurgence in the tough Western Conference this season. Steph Curry, Buddy Hield, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, and Al Horford are going to be tasked with leading that resurgence. And Kuminga’s presence off the bench is going to be essential.
That’s why Curry is seemingly excited to have Kuminga back on the team when asked about it. Not only that, but he shared that the narrative has been completely different than what people think.
“The interesting thing about in the locker room and in the media is that it was two totally different narratives,” Curry told SiriusXM NBA Radio. “The business of basketball is difficult. We all know a guy going through a contract negotiation for the first time, and it’s a unique situation with us trying to continue to win championships. He has such a high ceiling, and his timing and his journey has just been a little different.”
It was a very cerebral take on the entire situation. Curry and his teammates knew that Kuminga was going through a tough time. But he also acknowledged that they are still trying to win championships, and that Kuminga is the type of player that they are going to need to do so.
Later on, Curry also shared that the Warriors weren’t worried about the negotiations dragging on.
“We knew it could drag a long way, but we weren’t concerned as players, because we knew once JK was back in the locker room and back on the floor, he’d approach it the right way,” Curry said. “We’re not trying to let that be a distraction at all. We’re moving into what can he do to help us win? And trying to put it all together.”
It’s the exact type of approach that one would expect from Curry and the Warriors. They’ve been such a good team for so long with him there that they knew they needed to give Kuminga support. So, they gave it time, and eventually, things worked out.
Of course, Kuminga declined a 3-year, $75 million deal that would’ve cemented his role with the team. He wanted more control over his immediate future, and he also believes that he could be a primary scoring option for a team. But we’ll focus on the positives for now.
After all, according to Curry, Kuminga is excited to start the season no matter the lineup. So, maybe he had a change of heart.
“I think he’s excited about taking that next step. And, for him, no matter what lineup he’s out there with, he’s gotta be aggressive, play the way he knows how to play, and continue to get better, and it should work out for him.”
That’s great to hear, but we’ll see if Kuminga feels the same way when his team option is up next season. For now, though, he sounds focused on helping the Warriors win a title. That’s something that Curry and the team must be ecstatic about.
Things got pretty contentious between Golden State and Kuminga this offseason. There was a point where many fans and analysts expected him to be on a different team by now. But with him coming off the bench, they certainly pose a threat, even in the tough West.
