The Golden State Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga have been locked in a contract dispute for basically the entire offseason, but now it seems that some steam may finally be picking up.
Per Anthony Slater on ESPN’s NBA Today, the two sides have started up contract negotiations once again after a long stalemate.
“Well, there’s been renewed conversations between the two sides,” Slater said. “There’s dialogue, but as you all know, talking doesn’t necessarily equal movement. They’ve shared contract concepts and opinions about the whole thing between each other this last week, dating back to last weekend. Kuminga wants more of a player-friendly deal, more of a signal that he’s a building block, not a trade asset.”
The 22-year-old has struggled with finding consistent playing time in Golden State. Despite showing flashes of a potential All-Star in the making, he hasn’t been able to earn the trust of head coach Steve Kerr just yet.
Last season, Kuminga averaged 15.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in 47 appearances (10 starts). Kuminga saw himself be in and out of the rotation throughout different points of the season, which has since caused this ripple effect with the contract dispute.
The Warriors are hopeful they can find a resolution with the player they took with the seventh-overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. It should also be noted that the Warriors have yet to make a single transaction this summer — likely a result of their ongoing talks with Kuminga — so if a resolution is met soon, it could kickstart their offseason into high gear.
