It has been a treacherous time for Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga. Recently, he ended a long stalemate by agreeing to a two-year extension worth $48.5 million. Now, he is looking to do his part to lead the Warriors back to the promised land.
With all that, it is good that he has Stephen Curry in his corner. On Sunday, Curry spoke highly of Kuminga after the Warriors defeated the LA Lakers 111-103 in a preseason game.
Essentially, he credited Kuminga for putting the noise on silent and focusing on the task at hand.
“Like we said at Media Day, I mean, that stuff is part of the business,” Curry said. “When he showed up Thursday, it was business as usual—just come in, play, give effort, continue to try to get better. I'm not going to overanalyze every minute he's out there. It's not good for anybody. It's just: can we win, and can he be a part of that, no matter how it looks? So, excited for him to get his legs underneath him and keep building.”
Against the Lakers, Kuminga played 15 minutes and scored 5 points, grabbed six rebounds, and handed out four assists. Meanwhile, Curry finished the game with 14 points and two assists while playing 15 minutes as well.
Jonathan Kuminga has something to prove
The circumstances of the contract permit several options. One, Kuminga can pursue a greater deal after this season if he performs well. Additionally, the agreement allows him to be traded after January 15.
Then, the Warriors have the ability to opt out of the season year, making Kuminga a possible unrestricted free agent come Summer of 2026.
Altogether, Kuminga has options ahead of him. Certainly, the conditions of the deal don't offer long term peace of mind, but rather indicate a strain in the relationship between both parties.
Nevertheless, Kuminga is about to embark on a season in which he has this one chance to prove his value.
