What should have been a regular contract negotiation turned murkier over the summer. Jonathan Kuminga and his camp rejected multiple deals. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors rejected trade offers. We were at a stalemate with the October 1 qualifying offer set to expire. Absence of not only the 22-year-old but also Steve Kerr and GM Mike Dunlevy from media day duties adds fuel to the fire. But now an agreement has been signed, but that’s not a sign of a long future.

Kuminga has a two-year agreement with the Golden State Warriors at $48.5 million, which begins right in the 2025-26 season. Better than the one-year, $7.9 million qualifying offer. However, there is still a chance that the Congolese native won’t be part of the long-term plans.”This is not kumbaya. This was never a perfect situation. It dragged on and on to the level of high frustration on both sides…This is still very much a temporary relationship in the eyes of both sides. This is as tradeable a contract as [Kuminga] could have signed,” said Mark T Willard.

The contract may be for two years, but now the Warriors have the ability to trade their forward once again. “There’s a lot of things to unfold, but I would still think that Kuminga’s time in Golden State has 6 months or less left.” The NBA analyst concluded on WillardAndDibs. Even ESPN’s Shams Charania hinted at this possibility when he broke the news of the new contract. In fact, the veteran NBA insider also said that Jonathan Kuminga chose this “two-year deal over three years and $75M so he can maintain a higher level of control over his immediate future.”

Further added that the Warriors’ front office never gave in on a player’s option. Instead, they always wanted and pushed for the team option structure, which this deal contains. “Now, both sides understand the likelihood of exploring trades when Kuminga is eligible to be moved in mid-January.” This again becomes team-friendly since JK waived his inherent no-trade clause.

Now, let’s also understand that the 22-year-old is a ‘fit’ issue in the team. This assessment comes straight from the Warriors HC. “It’s a tricky one because Jonathan obviously is gifted and wants to play a bigger role and wants to play more. And for me, I’ve been asked to win. And right now, he’s not a guy who I can say I’m going to play 38 minutes with the roster that we have—Steph and Jimmy and Draymond—and put the puzzle together that way and expect to win.” 

His stats paint a similar story. Steve Kerr’s system relies on spacing, ball movement, and role clarity, and Kuminga thrives on a high-usage play system. Pairing Kuminga with Butler and Green in limited playoff minutes produced a -36 net rating across 105 minutes, while removing him and maintaining the same core resulted in a +180 rating over 940 minutes.

The new deal for Jonathan Kuminga has led to mixed reactions

Picking him overall #7 in the 2021 draft proved that the Dub Nation was betting on the Congolese star to lead them to the future. That was evident during the playoff series against the Timberwolves, where Stephen Curry was sidelined in Game 1. JK averaged 20.8 points on 54.3% shooting, including three straight games scoring over 20 points to end the series. So some believe that being with the playoff contenders will offer him a chance to prove himself on a big stage.

One former GM told the Associated Press. “He traded long-term stability for a chance to show he’s worth much more in two years. But the team option keeps the leverage with the Warriors.” Yes, many have stated that Jonathan Kuminga’s contract is “team-friendly” compared to his upside. Even Bobby Marks of ESPN was of the opinion that the $48.5M contract gave Golden State flexibility, but limited his salary. By signing Kuminga to a salary of $22.5 million next season, Golden State will still have the flexibility to use its $5.7 million taxpayer midlevel exception and sign two players to the veteran’s minimum

Previously, there were reports of JK wanting to sign a $25- $30 million deal. But that’s not what this contract provides. If the fit continues for the 22-year-old, then the Warriors will surely look to trade him and capitalize by adding an All-Star caliber player. For now, those talks are pushed back to mid-January; post that, the front office will decide the future.