Jonathan Kuminga is the final major piece left in the 2025 offseason. After Josh Giddey and Cam Thomas cleared up their issues with their teams, Kuminga is next. Brian Windhorst has reported that they are trying to work out a deal that benefits everyone involved.
With a little over a month left until the 2025-26 regular season starts, most teams have a complete roster. For almost the entire offseason, the Golden State Warriors have been at an impasse with forward Jonathan Kuminga.
He is the third and final piece to fall in the offseason’s longest sagas, as Cam Thomas signed his qualifying offer with the Brooklyn Nets. Josh Giddey also signed a contract extension with the Chicago Bulls. Now, Kuminga is the only one left whose situation remains unclear.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has reported that the Warriors have another ace up their sleeves. They want to structure a deal that benefits the Warriors, Kuminga, and a team to which they could trade him.
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesWindhorst gives a glimpse into the Warriors’ plans
As a team that wants to double down on their championship window with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler, the Warriors want to get something in return for Kuminga. They are a team with lofty ambitions, and Kuminga might not be part of that plan.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has a fractured dynamic with Kuminga, which means Kuminga won’t get enough opportunities with the team. It would be best for them to part ways with Kuminga to let him thrive elsewhere. However, the team does not want to be left empty-handed.
Windhorst thinks Kuminga will stay with the Warriors for the time being, but that could change by the February trade deadline.
“What the Warriors have been trying to do here, although they would never announce this, is they are trying to sign Jonathan Kuminga to a contract that enables them to trade him, because they know he does have value elsewhere in the league,” Windhorst said on ESPN’s NBA Today.
“Kuminga naturally wants to be paid like he has proven his talent, and so that’s why they’ve been at loggerheads, especially in a market that is closed to free agency.”
“I do believe that Kuminga is going to start this season on the Warriors, and I do believe there is still a window for him to get a multi-year deal. However, I understand why both sides are dug in.”
Kuminga has the potential to be a difference-maker
Although Kuminga does not have a prominent role on the Warriors, he still has potential. He averaged 15.3 points per game in the 2024-25 season as a 22-year-old player. The potential is there for Kuminga, but he is not maximizing that in Golden State, where Green and Butler play the forward positions.
Slater:
“There have been renewed efforts, genuine efforts this week to try to get it over the finish line. They’re (the vets) are wondering about Jonathan Kuminga’s buy-in if he comes back on the qualifying offer” pic.twitter.com/SkM8UD2M3v
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) September 12, 2025
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It would be best for Kuminga to exit the team, but that will most likely involve a big trade. That is why the Warriors want to have a structured deal that could lead to Kuminga leaving the team for a generous package in return.
The Warriors will benefit from clearing up the situation, and the grass may be greener for Kuminga on the other side. It will be challenging to pull off, but Windhorst’s report says that the Warriors are on this. If they pull it off, the deal will be great for everyone.