The Golden State Warriors made another push to retain Jonathan Kuminga over the past several days, but he continues to decline their two-year, $45 million contract offer, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.
Kuminga’s decision is due in large part to the Warriors’ insistence on having a team option for the second season and their unwillingness to let him maintain the built-in no-trade clause.
Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, presented a frame worth of a three-year, $82 million deal that would allow the Warriors to stay below the second apron and to use the taxpayer midlevel exception.
Kuminga and Turner have explored sign-and-trade options throughout free agency. The Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns have been the most aggressive with potential four-year, $90 million deals discussed. The Warriors are not interested in the trade returns from either the Kings or Suns.
Golden State’s current plan is for Kuminga to be on their team next season either through their two-year, $45 million offer or the $7.9 million qualifying offer. Kuminga has an Oct. 1 deadline to sign the qualifying offer. If Kuminga takes the qualifying offer, he would pass up nearly $14 million extra next season, but he could become an unrestricted free agent in 2026.
Kuminga believes accepting the Warriors’ two-year offer with a team option, along with forfeiting trade veto rights, cedes too much control to a franchise he believes has stunted.
