Warriors’ Kuminga drama could be nearing resolution as training camp approaches

As training camp approaches at the end of September, the Warriors’ standoff with Jonathan Kuminga over his contract appears to be nearing a resolution. Kuminga, entering his fifth NBA season and still a restricted free agent, is weighing Golden State's $7.9 million qualifying offer for 2025-26 against longer contract options that would include a team option instead of a player option.

Golden State has reportedly floated three deals: a three-year, $75.2 million contract with a team option for the third year; a two-year, $45 million deal with a team option for the second year; and a three-year, $54 million deal with no options. Kuminga has rejected all three, people familiar with the talks said. His agent, Aaron Turner, told the Hoop Collective podcast on Friday that Kuminga is prepared to take the one-year qualifying offer if the Warriors do not adjust to include a player option.

Accepting the $7.9 million qualifying offer would make Kuminga an unrestricted free agent in 2026, albeit at a much-smaller price tag for 2025-26. The arrangement would also confer a no-trade clause and give him the chance to sign with any team next summer, even as Golden State would maintain his rights until then in theory. The move would represent a significant risk-reward calculation for Kuminga, who has expressed a desire for more financial security or more control over his basketball fate.

Kuminga played a limited 47 games last season due to injuries but still averaged just over 15 points per game in about 24 minutes, his second straight season above 15 ppg. He emerged as a rotation staple in Golden State's run to the Western Conference semifinals, including a 24.3-point performance in the second round against Minnesota in the four games Curry missed with a left hamstring strain.

At 22 turning 23 in October, Kuminga was the No. 7 pick in the 2021 draft and is entering his fifth NBA season. He has reportedly been unhappy in Golden State, and public friction with head coach Steve Kerr over playing time and his role has been cited as a factor in the protracted talks.

With the 2026 free-agency class expected to be loaded with cap space — potentially including six teams — a sign-and-trade scenario could shape Kuminga's next move, whether he remains with the Warriors or departs for another destination. The timeline remains tied to camp, as Golden State weighs its options while Kuminga weighs whether to accept a short-term deal or press for longer-term stability.

Training camp looms as a critical turning point. If Kuminga accepts the QO, he would join a crowded but youthful Warriors roster for one season before hitting unrestricted free agency in 2026. If he signs long-term elsewhere or agrees to an optioned deal, Golden State would face decisions about how to balance its cap sheet and the development of a rising star who has shown he can deliver big scoring bursts in brief playoff stints.