The Dub Nation fans are clinging to the hope of a miracle. Here’s a heads-up: Hope’s on a delayed flight, and Jonathan Kuminga’s boarding pass is stuck at security. The offseason chaos continues as the Golden State Warriors are in the middle of one of their classic “We love you… but maybe not that much” situations. Jonathan Kuminga, the most talented mystery box since Monta Ellis was still cooking in Oakland, is a restricted free agent, and things are getting… awkward. Real awkward. Like Draymond Green on Inside the NBA.

According to Anthony Slater, if no resolution is found, Kuminga and his agent, Aaron Turner, will meet Warriors brass in person during the Summer League. And if there’s no progress by then? The Heat, Bucks, Bulls, Nets—and now the Wizards—are ready to pounce like Danny Ainge on an undervalued draft pick. But here’s where the plot thickens. The Kings already tried a lowball sign-and-trade move involving Devin Carter, Dario Saric, and some spare second-rounders. Golden State laughed and sent the offer to voicemail.

In fact, Tommy Gunn of the Light Years Podcast didn’t mince words: “I’d rather keep Kuminga than have Devin Carter and Dario Saric, for sure—100%… That feels like a slim chance at this point, but I’d rather take that bet than bet on a guy who we know doesn’t work in Dario and Devin Carter, who just sucks.” That’s not even slander—that’s a burial. Then there’s Joe Lacob, the man who loves to be both CEO and point guard of the franchise.

He was seen with Jonathan Kuminga at a Golden State Valkyries game, smiling wide like everything’s peachy, even though behind the scenes, there’s more tension than the 2016 Finals. “People can interpret it however they want,” Lacob told The TK Show, casually brushing it off like a bad Wiggins shooting night. “I happen to be friends with a lot of players and I love JK. I think he’s a great guy… They’ll just have to wait and see.” Cool. Nothing says “we’re committed” like “they’ll just have to wait and see.” When asked what would happen if the Warriors did lose Kuminga, Lacob offered a very business-first shrug.

Lacob laced his words: “You get close to all your players… but this is a business. It would take a lot for us not to match [other offers], but we have to look at what makes our team best.” And it’s not just about Kuminga anymore. The delay is starting to affect everything else. The Warriors have already missed out on Tim Hardaway Jr., and as Tommy Gunn put it, “He doesn’t know what the hell’s going on over here—he doesn’t know what his role would be, he doesn’t know who’s coming back in this Kuminga trade.”

He continued: “This team can’t f—— shoot. Of course I would have taken that guy.” Gunn even suggested Hardaway Jr. probably chose Denver instead because “he trusts that he’ll get more open shots there.” Ouch. Meanwhile, other players are flying off the free agency board faster than Klay Thompson bricks fastbreak threes these days. Bruce Brown? Likely headed back to Denver. Why? Because, unlike the Warriors, the Nuggets are not stuck in trade limbo.

The Kuminga Conundrum

Let’s talk ball. Jonathan Kuminga averaged 15.3 points and shot 45.4% from the field this past season, playing 47 games. When he’s on, he looks like he could chase down Giannis on a fast break and dunk over him the next play. But his career’s been filled with more stops and starts than a Russell Westbrook 3-point pump fake.

His development hasn’t been helped by Steve Kerr’s short leash. The second he misses a rotation, he’s yanked faster than Jordan Poole’s “heat check” shots. And things got trickier when Jimmy Butler showed up—Kuminga’s starting spot vanished, and his minutes dwindled due to a clunky, overlapping fit.

He’s only 22, but Kuminga’s timeline doesn’t seem to match the Golden State Warriors’ win-now mentality. And that’s the crux of this whole drama: he’s the only one left from that “next-gen” trio Curry once dreamed about. Poole and Wiseman are gone. JK is still standing—but for how long?

If the Warriors are serious about keeping Jonathan Kuminga, three things need to happen:

1. Kerr must adjust his rotations. Let Kuminga breathe. One missed closeout shouldn’t equal five games in the doghouse.
2. Surround him with spacing. Playing him next to non-shooters (like Butler) is like asking Shaq to run the triangle—it just doesn’t fit.
3. Commit to development. If they really believe he’s their Jimmy Butler-in-training, they need to stop playing hot potato with his future.

To be fair, Kuminga’s game still has holes—his three-point shot is more hopeful than helpful—but his athleticism, upside, and defensive chops are real. He was the only guy who could keep up with Anthony Edwards in their playoff series. That’s not nothing. So here we are. The Warriors are caught in a waiting game with Jonathan Kuminga, and Joe Lacob’s cryptic smiling act isn’t doing anyone any favors. You’ve got a talented young player, a confused locker room, a frozen free agency board, and fans screaming, “Can we get a shooter already?!”

You either go all in on Kuminga or let him fly. But the clock is ticking—and this isn’t 2015 anymore. Golden State can’t afford to let another young asset slip away without a plan. Because the next time Kuminga drops 25 and locks up your best scorer, it might be against the Warriors.