By Aleksandar Mishkov,Last Word On Sports

Copyright yardbarker

Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors are entering a pivotal moment.

The stakes couldn’t be higher for both parties. With several days left until training camp, both sides would love to get a resolution for the contract situation. A lottery pick in 2021, Kuminga’s the most prominent asset from the two-timeline strategy. When the Warriors drafted him, they hoped he could grow into a player who would take the lead as two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry ages.

Best-Case & Worst-Case Warriors-Jonathan Kuminga Scenarios

What happens in the next several days can very well define both the franchise and the player. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best-case and worst-case scenarios.

Warriors’ Best-Case Scenario

For the Warriors, the best-case scenario is that they strike a fair contract extension, get Kuminga to fully buy into his role, and secure him for the foreseeable future. If he improves, there’s a chance they could flip him for an established star that provides immediate help. Or, they can keep him and hope he can carry the torch when their franchise cornerstones retire.

In either scenario, his growth could ease Curry’s burden and ease Golden State’s transition into a new era. Furthermore, with a focused Kuminga, the Warriors can regain their cohesion and prevent drama in the locker room. This will make it easier to focus on the goal of winning another championship.

However, if they lose Kuminga for nothing, their impending rebuild becomes more challenging. Yes, the Warriors might have plenty of cap space in the summer of 2027. Yet, cap space is never guaranteed to deliver great players.

Warriors’ Worst-Case Scenario

The worst-case scenario for Kuminga and the Warriors is that he feels undervalued and signs the one-year qualifying offer. That would essentially make him an untradeable asset.

Despite the typical appeal of an expiring contract, it’s likely that he’ll leave next summer as a free agent. This could be unfavorable for the Warriors because other teams may be wary of negotiating with him next summer and there can be punitive costs of acquiring players in a sign-and-trade. Furthermore, he’s intrigued by the possibility of joining the Sacramento Kings, and other suitors may see him signing with him as an inevitability.