NBA Rumors: Jonathan Kuminga and Warriors ‘Still Far Apart’ on Contract Extension Talks

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Golden State Warriors and forward Jonathan Kuminga are not close to agreeing on a contract extension.

On Friday, Charania claimed that “both sides are still far apart in extension conversations” and that there is a “real belief” that discussions might continue into the season, as well as restricted free agency.

The deadline for the Warriors to offer Kuminga a rookie-scale contract extension is Monday.

Charania also said that Golden State has a “window” to extend shooting guard Moses Moody before the deadline, with the 22-year-old “much more likely” to obtain a new contract than Kuminga.

The Warriors had a disappointing 2023-24 season, but Jonathan Kuminga was a bright spot. The forward was widely used, owing to Draymond Green missing numerous games due to suspension and injury before establishing himself as a starter in the lineup. The 21-year-old has grown accustomed to his role and has no plans to change it in the coming season.

Since being taken as the seventh overall choice in the 2021 NBA draft, Kuminga’s place in the Warriors’ rotation has grown year after year. Last season, he averaged a career-high 26.3 minutes per game, starting 46 of 74 games after starting 28 in his previous two years.

On The TK Show, presenter Tim Kawakami questioned Kuminga if he would mind losing his starting position and coming off the bench. He said that he wouldn’t mind if the team requested him to. However, the forward has greater goals. He said:

Last season, as a starter, he averaged 17.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists while shooting 53.1 percent from the field.

Kuminga is entering the final year of his rookie deal, but the Warriors can still bring him back if a long-term extension isn’t reached. Even if he plays out the 2024-25 season without a contract, he will be a restricted free agency in the next summer, with Golden State able to match any offer he receives.

During the No Cap Room podcast on August 7, NBA source Jake Fischer said that Kuminga and his representatives were looking for a full max deal. However, Anthony Slater of The Athletic claimed on September 12 that the Warriors were not willing to grant the forward a full five-year agreement.

It appears that significant progress in negotiations will be required for Kuminga to secure a new arrangement by Monday.

Jonathan Kuminga’s shooting issues, and how he intends to overcome them:

Jonathan Kuminga has averaged only 2.2 three-pointers per game in his three NBA seasons. Since the 2021 draft, his three-point attempts have been relatively consistent, while his overall field goal attempts have increased from 6.6 per game as a rookie to 11.6 last season.

This indicates that 33% of Kuminga’s shots as a rookie came from beyond the arc, compared to less than 19% last season. Entering the final year of his deal, the former 7th choice is a strong contender to become the Warriors’ second option, with long-range shooting being a major part of his responsibilities.

That’s presumably why Coach Kerr is pressing the Congolese youth to shoot with more conviction this season. A few weeks ago, the now-blond forward spoke with the San Francisco Standard about his offseason progress.

“I’m definitely confident,” Kuminga said. “I’m excited to showcase my work to others.”And I feel like shooting threes; I’ve gotten so much better.”

Kuminga’s preseason performance versus the Kings is clear evidence of his hard effort. He made an amazing 57.1% of his deep shots as the Warriors hit a franchise-record 28 three-pointers.