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Jonathan Kuminga’s future at the Golden State Warriors continues to remain uncertain despite several teams maintaining an interest in the forward. The Warriors have sent out a qualifying offer of $7.9 million, which gives them the freedom to match free agency offers.
The New Orleans Pelicans are among multiple teams interested in the 22-year-old. However, their pursuit faces considerable obstacles, the biggest being in the form of Kuminga’s wage demands, per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
Staying below the luxury tax has been a ‘perennial priority’ for the Pelicans’ ownership, and the ‘cap gymnastics’ needed to do so while signing Kuminga have been described as considerable. The player has also drawn interest from the likes of the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, and the Sacramento Kings.
However, JK is understood to be seeking a contract worth at least $30 million per season, something a lot of teams are struggling with. The Pelicans are still around $10 million below the luxury tax threshold and will need to move players in order to sign Kuminga at his current demands.
Drafted seventh overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, he averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game last season while shooting at over 50% from the field. However, there has been consistent tension between Jonathan Kuminga and head coach Steve Kerr.
Last season, Kerr publicly criticized Kuminga's tendency to prioritize his shots over making team plays. He had started just 10 games in the regular season out of a total of 47 appearances. Kuminga also did not play a major role in the playoffs, starting just once in the postseason and playing 23.4 minutes per game, around a minute less than his regular-season average.
Given the scarcity of cap space in NBA free agency this year, the Warriors have a clear advantage in this scenario. They can simply wait it out and match any offers Kuminga receives, and a short-term return to Golden State might also be in the cards.
