The Golden State Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga are locked in a standoff that feels endless. For weeks, the negotiations have dragged on, leaving the young forward and the franchise in a limbo. While Kuminga’s future remains up in the air, the Warriors’ offseason has been arrested due to a lack of roster improvement.

The Warriors had initially submitted two offers, a qualifying offer worth $7.9 million, along with a 2-year, $45 million contract that came without the in-built trade clause allowing the player to veto his future. A third, $75 million, three-year deal has recently been in the works. However, the player continues to hold out for more say on his future while the Warriors seem intent on ensuring they do not lose him for peanuts in the near future.

Kuminga clearly believes the franchise does not believe in him, which comes as a bit of a shock when one considers the fact that back in 2021, it was team owner Joe Lacob who decided to pick Kuminga with their No. 7 pick, instead of a certain Franz Wagner. Wagner has gone on to establish himself at the Orlando Magic and returns from the EuroBasket 2025 as a gold medalist with Germany. However, why did the Warriors end up with Kuminga in the first place?

How Jonathan Kuminga ended up in the Golden State

Draft night often sets the tone for years to come, and for the Warriors, 2021 was one of those defining moments. Sitting with the seventh overall pick, the front office weighed different directions, while coaches reportedly leaned toward Franz Wagner. At the time, Wagner was praised for his versatility and two-way play, the kind of skill set many believed fit Golden State’s system. Yet, Joe Lacob saw something else in Jonathan Kuminga.

According to reports from ESPN insiders, “Lacob has been a central figure in Kuminga’s NBA career since the beginning.” The insight revealed that although Bob Myers and Mike Dunleavy signed off on the pick, Lacob’s voice carried the most weight in the room. They explained, “Lacob was a driving force in the selection when others, including a few on the coaching staff, voiced a Franz Wagner preference, sources said.” The owner’s conviction was clear: Kuminga had the raw upside he valued.

And well, it is not false. Kuminga has shown consistent two-way potential and was even the team’s second-highest scorer through stretches he was trusted to start in last season. He averaged 15.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists just last year, shooting at over 45% overall. The player undoubtedly has the talent and the potential, but has failed to fit into the Warriors system that revolves around maximizing Steph Curry’s potential.

“For me, I’ve been asked to win, and right now he’s not a guy who I can say I’m gonna 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,” Kerr had explained back in May per Yahoo Sports. Hence, while the Warriors and Lacob undoubtedly saw the upside, that has not translated to actual starring minutes for the Warriors as he averaged 24.3 minutes per appearance last season.

On the other hand, Wagner has blossomed into a centerpiece for the Orlando Magic, showing elite scoring and defensive skills. He even helped lead Germany to the EuroBasket 2025 championship, averaging over 20.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists a night. Wagner was Germany’s highest scorer at the tournament and has undoubtedly blossomed into the kind of star the Warriors could have used for the current roster.

Warriors up the offer, but the standoff remains

This summer has revealed just how complicated Jonathan Kuminga’s situation has become. After months of silence, Golden State put forward a contract offer designed to keep him in uniform. The three-year, $75.2 million deal included guaranteed money for the first two years and a team option in the third. On paper, it doubled Kuminga’s earnings and looked like a strong show of faith from the organization.

Still, Kuminga wasn’t satisfied. What mattered to him wasn’t only financial security but also control of his career path. The young forward wants a player option, something that gives him the freedom to decide his future. That detail has become the central sticking point, even as the Warriors refuse to budge. The deadlock reflects deeper issues about trust, role, and long-term belief. The deadlock also suggests that the Warriors do indeed want to move him for the highest package they can get in the near future.

The player undoubtedly knows this and simply wants to ensure he is able to have a say on where he ends up. That has translated to him asking for the third season to be a player-option, with the franchise already intent on doing away with the in-built no-trade clause.

The tension came to light in a reported exchange between the owner and the player. According to ESPN, Lacob asked him directly, “Do you want to be here?” Kuminga answered with his own pointed question: “Do you even want me here?” That back-and-forth summed up the frustration both sides feel, with legitimate arguments to be made for both sides.

While the Warriors see him as a piece of roster flexibility, Kuminga longs for a true chance to shine. Unless there is movement soon, it seems likely that Kuminga will just go for the qualifying offer as the deadline of October 1 is approaching fast. Whatever may happen in the future, this doesn’t shine a good light on the warriors, as is evident by the reactions from the fans.