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Jonathan Kuminga came into the season not having a rookie contract extension signed, as it looks like both he and the Golden State Warriors could come to common ground on a price. Kuminga was looking for a certain amount, but he was only willing to lower the price by around $175 million, according to HoopsHype.
“Following Jalen Johnson’s five-year, $150 million contract extension with the Atlanta Hawks, there was a thought that maybe Kuminga’s asking price would come down since he was closely eying that situation because both play the same position and are about the same age,” HoopsHype wrote. “Instead, nothing came close on a similar five-year, $150 offer for Kuminga because it seemed like the least he would’ve considered was a five-year, $175 million deal, HoopsHype has learned. Since the season began, Kuminga has mostly come off the bench and has struggled shooting the ball from the field at career-low percentages across the board.”
Kuminga wanted a hefty extension after having a breakout season last year, averaging 16.1 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 52.9 percent from the floor in 74 games while starting in 46 of them.
Jonathan Kuminga looking for $200+ million extension from Warriors
The deal that Jonathan Kuminga was looking for was similar to Scottie Barnes and Franz Wagner's contracts, which were five-year extensions worth at least $224 million, but the Warriors weren't looking to exceed $30 million per year for the forward according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
“The Warriors were not willing to do this, as Kuminga's fourth season in the league is a chance for him to truly prove that he can be the All-Star talent many, not just those with Golden State, believe he can evolve into. In order to get to this point, a young player needs a hefty role and minutes, something this organization has remained uncommitted to,” Siegel wrote.
Kuminga has come off the bench for the most part this season, and he hasn't played up to expectations, which could possibly hurt what his contract looks like after this year. With the Warriors using more of a 12-man rotation this season, he also isn't playing high minutes, which could also be a reason for his dip in productivity. It will be interesting to see what contract talks look like for Kuminga at the end of the season, and there's still time for him to turn his play around. As of now, it's looking like he should've taken the highest the Warriors were offering, but it's also understandable to want to bet on yourself.
