NBA Rumors: Trouble may be brewing again between the Golden State Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga.
If one thing was clear this offseason, it was that the Golden State Warriors truly value their young core. They refused to include Brandin Podziemski in any trade offers for Lauri Markkanen and continued to show hesitance in their willingness to trade Jonathan Kuminga. Whether either of these players at the center of Golden State's young core will eventually develop into a star player remains to be seen, but it's clear the Warriors do see some long-term promise.
With the clock ticking on the Warriors regarding a potential contract extension for Kuminga, a decision has to be made fairly quickly. At least for now, it does appear as if the two sides are not close to an agreement. According to a recent report, the Warriors are currently unwilling to give Kuminga a max extension, which he's probably seeking.
The Golden State Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga could both be right
Quite frankly, both sides may be right for now. Kuminga is probably not going to sign an extension just for the sake of signing one. He could bet on himself this season and completely cash out next summer in restricted free agency. If he truly believes in himself, that may be the best path forward considering he's probably going to play a bigger role this season in Golden State. But, it is quite risky.
On the other hand, the Warriors could be right too. There isn't a huge sample size for Kuminga as a starter and giving him max extension wouldn't just indicate that Kuminga is going to be the starting moving forward, but also that he's going to play at a star level. I'm not sure if Golden State should be ready to make that level of commitment.
As you would expect, this situation could create a stalemate between both sides as the start of training camp quickly approaches. At this point, it may be in the best interest of both sides to play the season out without a contract extension in place for Kuminga. If both sides continue to dig into their bunker, this is a situation that may not be completely decided until next offseason - especially with the salary complications that would arise with a natural rookie-scale extension for Kuminga.
It's hard to blame Kuminga for asking for the most possible money he could get in a contract extension. At the same time, you can't blame the Warriors for looking out for their future. However, at some point, something has to give. Do the Warriors truly believe in this young core? If so, signing Kuminga to an extension will eventually evolve into a priority.