The Warriors increase their offer to Kuminga, but the pulse remains open

The Golden State Warriors have returned with a new contract proposal for Jonathan Kuminga, attempting to end a stalemate that not only impacts the small forward's future but also pending decisions in the team's free agency. As reported by Anthony Slater and Shams Charania on ESPN, the latest offer is for three years and $75.2 million, with a team option in the third season.

The deal guarantees $48.3 million in the first two years, a figure close to the annual salary that Josh Giddey received in his recent deal with the Chicago Bulls. The key difference is that while Giddey secured four guaranteed years, Kuminga finds himself with a structure that portrays him more as a trade asset than an essential piece for the franchise's future. The contrast has not gone unnoticed by the player or his agent, Aaron Turner.

Golden State had previously presented a two-year, $45 million proposal months ago, also with a team option and the requirement to waive his no-trade clause. Even in the new agreement, the presence of that exit clause in favor of the franchise remains one of the major hurdles. According to sources, the only offer without a team option was limited to three years and $54 million, reducing the annual salary to $18 million, well below Kuminga's aspirations.

The player's camp has requested a player option that would grant him control over his future, accepting a salary range around $20 million as compensation. However, if the team option remains, they believe the salary should rise to $30 million annually. For the Warriors, accepting a player option is a "stalemate," something the management does not even consider.

Kuminga's Proposal and His Camp

Facing the impasse, Kuminga and his agent have put forward an alternative: an improved version of the qualifying offer, still valid, which would raise the agreement figure to a single year and allow him to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026. This formula would give Golden State room to negotiate a trade during the season and avoid long-term commitments. However, General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. has already rejected this option, with the ownership led by Joe Lacob fearful of losing the player next summer without anything in return.

Lacob's role is particularly significant. It was he who in 2021 advocated for Kuminga's selection over Franz Wagner and who blocked a trade with Chicago two years ago that would have sent the forward in exchange for Alex Caruso. His support has been unwavering, although he never reached the point of interfering in Steve Kerr's decisions, even when Kuminga disappeared from the rotation in crucial stretches of the previous season.

With the start of the training camp just two weeks away, resolving the Kuminga situation is now an urgent matter. Either Lacob intervenes by conceding the salary and structure the player demands, or he unlocks a trade exit that ends the tension. What is clear is that the Warriors cannot move forward with the rest of their planning until this chapter is closed.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los Warriors suben su oferta a Kuminga, pero el pulso sigue abierto