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SAN FRANCISCO– As the opening of free agency quickly approaches, all eyes turn to Jonathan Kuminga, the biggest domino of the Golden State Warriors' offseason. With several rival teams eyeing Kuminga through a sign-and-trade as well as Kuminga's vocal desire to do “special things” regardless of the circumstances, it's been a mystery as to what the young forward wants to do.
However, in the wake of the 2025 NBA draft, Dubs general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. shed a little bit of light on the ongoing Kuminga saga. In a press conference, Dunleavy talked about the team's concern level should negotiations drag into July.
Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy on Jonathan Kuminga’s wild card free agency, which is quickly approaching:
“On both sides, we’d like to get something figured out as soon as possible… from his end, ultimately he is the one as a free agent who has to sign the contract.” pic.twitter.com/YUV24YdSGs
— Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) June 27, 2025
“I think for both sides, we'd like to get something figured out as soon as possible,” Dunleavy stated. “Not going to stress out about it too much, but I think the main thing is making the right decisions, figuring the whole thing out, whether that's day one or day 10 or whatever it is.
“Got to be prepared to take it as far as it goes. But the priority I would think for both sides is to get something done early.”
With the Warriors' salary cap up against the first apron, it handicaps them with what they can do in free agency alone. If they want to make a change this offseason, they would need Kuminga's participation in a sign-and-trade.
And even then, matching the money is tricky. Half of Kuminga's salary would be outgoing, limiting the return they could get should both sides want to move on.
It's all in Jonathan Kuminga's hands
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Still, this is based on the assumption that both sides are content with a farewell. Gauging what Kuminga truly wants is pure speculation. But it's clear he wants a role and a space he believes is necessary to take a leap he believes he's capable of. He wants to be a star. In an interview with Warriors insider Anthony Slater, Kuminga spoke candidly about his approach in recent weeks.
“Things take time, but I feel like I’m at the point where that has to be my priority, to just be one of the guys a team relies on, aiming to be an All-Star, multiple times, aiming to be great,” Kuminga told The Athletic.
“Wherever I’m going to be at, it don’t matter if it’s the Warriors or if it’s anywhere else. It’s something I want. I want to see what I could do. I know I got it. So I want to really see. I’ve never got that chance.”
Like any young up-and-coming player, Kuminga desires an opportunity. But with the Warriors, that hasn't always been the case. With Kuminga's detailed disagreements with Steve Kerr, the player Kuminga wants to be hasn't always aligned with Golden State's vision for him.
In the same press conference, Dunleavy spoke candidly about how Kuminga's desire to return or depart factors into the Warriors' decision-making.
“Yeah, it's important. I think from his end, ultimately, he's the one who's a free agent who has to sign the contract,” Dunleavy said. “By him doing that, if that happens with us, I think that's reflective of his desire to be here. We'll see, as they say.”
In other words, if Kuminga decides to return to the Warriors, it's because he wants to be in Golden State, at least from Dunleavy and the front office's perspective.
