When will Jonathan Kuminga's situation with the Golden State Warriors be solved? This is a question all Warriors fans, as well as players like Brandin Podziemski, want to know.
Kuminga remains the biggest question mark and domino yet to fall this NBA offseason, as his restricted free agency has been a messy affair to sort through.
Despite all the finger-pointing done by Kuminga and the Warriors, as well as their staring contest to see who ultimately blinks first in contract negotiations, Podziemski and those on the Dubs' roster still value the young forward, regardless of the media's portrayal of his time with Golden State.
“Obviously, everybody on our team knows it's the media’s job to try to nitpick and find things to write and talk about and separate teammates so they have a story to write. Like, we all know that’s how it works,” Podziemski told 95.7 The Game’s “Willard and Dibs” on Wednesday evening. “Especially the guys who have been around it for 10 to 15 years, they know how it works.”
As far as how he's viewed in the Warriors' locker room, Podziemski claimed that this whole offseason ordeal with Kuminga hasn't changed their opinions about him.
“No matter how [Kuminga]'s situation is resolved, it doesn't change how we view JK as a person, as a player. Obviously, we all want him to be in Golden State. It doesn't change anything.”
Brandin Podziemski not focused on Jonathan Kuminga situation
Kuminga and Podziemski have been two of the young, core pieces of the Warriors' roster in recent years, next to Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. It shouldn't surprise anyone that Podz has his teammate's back.
The situation between Kuminga and the Warriors is dragging on into September, and it still doesn't appear as if there is a clear resolution in sight.
While it has become clear that the young forward would prefer to start a new chapter in his career elsewhere and not with Golden State, owner Joe Lacob and the franchise have never been ones to let young, high-potential talents like Kuminga walk away for nothing.
Not to mention, many in the organization, including Lacob, still believe in Kuminga's potential to be an elite threat for the foreseeable future.
That is one of the reasons why the Warriors want Kuminga to sign a new contract with them.
Whether Kuminga accepts a new deal from the Dubs or takes his one-year qualifying offer will obviously play a role in how he is perceived, but Podziemski won't let all the criticism surrounding his teammate get to him.
“The media is going to portray it one way to try and make people think differently of it. But it doesn’t change my perspective. I know all I can control is being the best version of Brandin Podziemski that I can be going into my third year, and everything else is going to fall how it may.”
