Although this season has not gone as the Golden State Warriors had imagined, Jonathan Kuminga has been a bright spot for them. In his third season with the Warriors, Kuminga has truly been one of the league's best breakout performers. He has started in a career-high 38 games this year, and the 21-year-old is also averaging a career-high 16.1 points per game.
Golden State has always been high on Kuminga's future, ever since they drafted him seventh overall in the 2021 NBA Draft. Entering the league as an inexperienced athlete, Kuminga instantly drew the attention of scouts due to his explosiveness and length. After spending the first couple of his years learning the basic fundamentals of the game, the young forward has been able to mature alongside the likes of Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins.
As the 2023-24 season winds down and the Warriors prepare to fight for their lives in the Western Conference play-in tournament, Kuminga's attention is quickly going to pivot to an offseason in which he will be eligible to receive a big extension from Golden State. Given his production this season and the potential he still possesses being so young, Kuminga could wind up demanding well past $20 million in extension talks with the team over the summer. It is not hard to believe that his representation will look to compare him to Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels, who recently got a five-year, $131 million rookie contract extension this past October.
The biggest factor that will need to come into play regarding Kuminga's future with the Warriors is the team's overall cap numbers, which sit at the very top of the league. The Warriors have always had an extremely high tax bill, and those running the organization made it clear last summer that cutting costs was essential. Klay Thompson is also going to be up for a new contract this upcoming summer, which could ultimately lead to problems with Golden State holding onto Kuminga as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.
Nonetheless, Kuminga has made one thing clear: he wants to be with the Warriors for the remainder of his career.
Jonathan Kuminga's future with Warriors
Stephen Curry, Thompson, and Green have always preached the idea of remaining with the Warriors for the entirety of their careers. Big man Kevon Looney also shared similar thoughts in an exclusive interview with ClutchPoints before the 2023-24 season began. Kuminga, who will see a new contract within the year, is hoping to stay in the Bay Area for many more years to come.
“I would love to just be one of the Warriors for life – and just never change,” Kuminga said on NBC Sports Bay Area's “Dubs Talk.”
Kuminga and his future with the Warriors have been in question for quite some time due to the forward's frustrations that mounted at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season. As a result of not getting the playing time he had hoped for in his second season, there were discussions about whether or not Golden State would look to trade Kuminga ahead of the 2023 NBA Draft. Ultimately, the team decided to hold onto the former lottery pick, a decision that has paid off this season.
Still, questions about Kuminga's future lingered after his playing time once again came into question. In a productive one-on-one meeting with head coach Steve Kerr, Kuminga was able to understand his role better, which led to more opportunities alongside the core of the Warriors.
“I did not lose faith of being here; it’s not what I said,” Kuminga said of his conversation with Kerr. “It was just definitely to a point where I felt like I need to be [on the court]. I felt like I could help… It was just me trying to go out there and just find a way to play. Find a way to be on the floor. Find a way to help every young guy get their chance.”
In 64 games this season, Kuminga has averaged 16.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 52.9 percent from the floor. He currently ranks third on the team in scoring and second in total shots made this season.
No matter how you evaluate his numbers, Kuminga has proven his worth to the Warriors. Whether or not they look to extend him in the offseason is the biggest question. Regardless of what the answer is to this question, Kuminga is still clinging to the idea of remaining with Golden State.
“When I look at those three people – Steph and Klay and Draymond – and I look at their pictures in the practice facility every day, I'm like, ‘This is where I want to be.' I want to be right there. I want to play here my whole life.
“You don't choose and control where you want to be, but that's the goal. That's where I want to be.”
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