With training camp just 10 days away, the Golden State Warriors remain hampered by the months-long contract standoff with Jonathan Kuminga. The impasse has cast a shadow over the start of the season for a team aiming to maximize its championship window with Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green leading the charge.
ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, citing league sources, reports that Golden State’s star trio has actively advocated to get a deal done.
“All three stars want Kuminga back on the roster, as his athleticism, durability, and production can’t be replicated. If lost, Kuminga’s void will be felt throughout the 82-game season,” Siegel wrote.
Butler Reaches Out Amid Kuminga Stalemate
NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson reported that Butler personally contacted the Warriors’ front office to get clarity on the situation.
“When is basketball going to take over?” Johnson said on the Dubs Talk podcast. “That has to be the thoughts of, in my eyes, the three veteran stars: Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler. I can confidently say that Jimmy Butler has also reached out to the team and been like, ‘What’s going on here? I just wanted to know the plan.’”
Siegel emphasized that it is not just Butler advocating for a resolution. The trio of Curry, Green, and Butler has consistently pushed the organization to satisfy Kuminga’s requests and finalize his contract so the team can move forward.
Contract Standoff Details
Golden State has raised its offer to Kuminga from a two-year, $45 million contract (team option on second year) to a three-year, $75.2 million contract, with $48.3 million guaranteed over the first two seasons. Kuminga remains firm, seeking a player option in the final year—a request his agent, Aaron Turner, says reflects fairness and team alignment.
“If [the Warriors] want to win now, if you want a guy that’s happy and treated fairly who is a big part of this team, we believe, moving forward, you give him the player option,” Turner said on the Hoop Collective podcast. “You do lose a little of that trade value [giving that up]. But if it’s about the here and now, you give him that.”
The holdout has also delayed the signing of other veteran free agents, including projected starting center Al Horford, guard De’Anthony Melton, defensive specialist Gary Payton II, and potentially Seth Curry, who could reunite with his brother Stephen.
Financial and Strategic Constraints
The Warriors’ strategy involves using the taxpayer midlevel exception to sign Horford. That would hard-cap the team at the NBA’s second apron, leaving just $22.5 million available to sign Kuminga while maintaining a full 15-player roster. Turner indicated that Kuminga is willing to make a financial sacrifice in the first year of the deal, but it has a corresponding price: a player option on the final year.
Championship Window at Stake
The unity among Curry, Green, and Butler underscores how critical Kuminga is to Golden State’s plans. The star trio sees the forward’s athleticism and versatility as essential for their championship window.
With training camp fast approaching, the Warriors’ stars are determined to push for a resolution, hoping the front office will finalize the deal so the team can enter the season at full strength. The outcome of the Kuminga standoff could define not just the team’s roster, but its title hopes as well.