The Golden State Warriors and their forward, Jonathan Kuminga, reportedly failed to agree on a new deal before the 6 p.m. ET deadline for rookie extensions.
The news doesn’t necessarily mean that Kuminga will be at the exit door. He still has one year left on his rookie deal, and the Warriors can match any offer he receives from free agency next summer.
Kuminga, the Warriors’ seventh overall pick in 2021, started his NBA career slow before delivering a breakthrough campaign last season. He had career-highs across the board, averaging 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 76 games.
According to a report by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Warriors spent the last few months negotiating with Kuminga’srepresentatives, but the two sides were too far apart to reach an agreement before the deadline.
Golden State values Kuminga, which was shown in their refusal to include him in potential trade offers for Los Angeles Clippers’ star Paul George and Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen earlier this year. However, they still want to see if he can work in head coach Steve Kerr’s system and whether his performances in the 2023-24 season are sustainable.
On the other hand, Kuminga refused to accept a lower offer than the one he believed he deserved and decided to bet on himself. He reportedly believes he will become a star in the league and wants a deal that reflects it.
