The drama between Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors continues to drag on, with the former reportedly declining to put pen to paper on the latest contract extension deal offered to him by the Dubs. Having drafted the Congolese professional in 2021, the Warriors have failed to reach a middle ground with the up-and-coming power forward on his current agreement, leading Kuminga to say no to yet another proposal from his current team.
Jonathan Kuminga reportedly declines Warriors’ $45 million contract offer
Jonathan Kuminga has once again rejected the Warriors’ two-year contract offer, this time reportedly worth $45 million. ESPN sources claim that Golden State’s adamance on having a team option for the second season in the deal, without letting him keep the no-trade clause, has caused the 22-year-old NBA star to back down from negotiations.
After unsuccessfully discussing terms with the Warriors for a long time, Kuminga and his agent, Aaron Turner, have turned their attention towards hearing sign-and-trade options from other teams. Notably, the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns have made very lucrative offers to acquire the 2022 NBA champion. However, Golden State has showcased no interest in the trade returns offered by the Kings and Suns.
Insider claims suggest that Kuminga does not fancy the two-year offer with a team option, which takes away his trading rights, from the Warriors. This is primarily because such a status quo would provide Golden State with the bulk of control in the agreement, which does not sit well with Kuminga.
Going by the current dynamics, the Warriors seem to be in the driving seat of the deal. Knowing that the player will have to agree to the best offer made by them or sign a one-year qualifying offer, the seven-time NBA champions could even opt to end sign-and-trade discussions entirely. With Kuminga recently divulging to ESPN that he is in no hurry to resolve the contract holdup with the Warriors, it could take some time before the two parties settle on a mutually-agreed solution.
