Draymond Green may want to take back his 2024 comments about Jonathan Kuminga.
Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors’ contract negotiations have broken down, after Kuminga wouldn’t accept the Warriors’ two-year $45 million offer. Kuminga said the team have stunted his growth, and appears to want out of Golden State.
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
The saga has stalled their offseason. Al Horford is waiting to join the Warriors, and they are the only team in the NBA that haven’t signed or re-signed a player.
Kuminga was a rising star with the Warriors and went on a red-hot run in 2024. But he barely featured at the back end of last year until Steph Curry was injured. Green spoke about Kuminga in 2024, but he may want to take his comments back.
Draymond Green said Jonathan Kuminga is playing a big role on the Golden State Warriors, ‘And that’s not changing’
At the start of 2024, Kuminga went on a red-hot run. He had eight straight games scoring over 20 points, including a 31-point night against the Sacramento Kings, who recently tried to trade for Kuminga.
It looked like Kuminga had finally reached the potential he had promised at the start of his career. That led to Green, on the Draymond Green Show, saying that Kuminga was playing a big role on the Warriors, and that wasn’t changing anytime soon.
He said, “Jonathan Kuminga is a star, man. That young fella is a stud. Getting to the basket at will, finishing with the best of them, getting to his spots. Nobody is stopping him from getting to his spots.
“Showing you the promise that we’ve all believed is there. He’s stepping into that right now. He’s playing a big role on this team now, and that’s not changing. No time soon. He’s been very dominant, and if I’m not mistaken that’s seven-straight games with over 20 points.
“And it’s a dominant 20. You notice it. It’s not like he just comes up with 20 and you’re like, ‘Oh I didn’t know’. No, you’re noticing him dominating.”
Jonathan Kuminga looks for a way out of the Golden State Warriors
“That’s not changing” is an unfortunate quote. It changed last season as the young star rode the bench for much of the season. He believes he has been held back by the Warriors and looks to be seeking a new challenge.
The Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns are reportedly willing to pay Kuminga $90 million over four years. That number could increase if the sides enter a bidding war next summer. But it would have to be next summer as neither team has the cap space to sign him.
Until then, Kuminga will most likely sign a qualifying offer worth just $9 million for next season before leaving in 2026. That could cause big issues with the team.
Kuminga will want playing time to prove himself to the rest of the league, and increase his value. The Warriors appear not to have him in their long-term plans. Expect a tug-of-war between player and team all season as Kuminga hopes to secure a big deal elsewhere.