Now that the Warriors’ season is over, there are a lot of questions that need to be answered over the summer. Of course, the biggest one is Jonathan Kuminga’s future. With his four-year contract coming to an end, the young forward will be a restricted free agent. That means he can sign with any interested team, unless the Warriors match the offer and keep him. So, the pressure is on GM Mike Dunleavy to make the right decision and determine the direction he wants this franchise to take.
If this is in fact the end of Kuminga’s journey in the Bay Area, his veteran leader Stephen Curry has nothing but good things to say about him. During his end of season interview, Steph addressed JK’s uncertain future and his growth as a player, “I think he’s grown a lot. He’s been dealt a very tough hand to be honest.” When Jonathan entered the league, he immediately joined a team that was gunning for the championship. So, there was no time to settle in.
As the playoffs arrived, Kuminga contributed in every way that a rookie could, but didn’t get much playing time amid the high stakes involved. It has been an up and down ride for him since then. Despite that, Curry believes the forward has done a solid job of staying locked in, “He’s handled his business in terms of just getting better. Just trying to focus on what it means to become a better version of himself and the way that he plays and the fact that he’s had playing time and hadn’t and been in rotation and hadn’t. Like that’s tough for any player, let alone a young guy who’s trying to figure it out in the league.”
He continued, “I commend him on just staying ready, seeing what he did the last couple games. That’s not easy to do to not know if your number’s gonna be called and then go out there and perform. So, I’m proud of the way that he’s handled it.” Kuminga had fallen out of Steve Kerr’s rotation during this playoff run. But when Steph got injured, he turned into a ray of hope for his team. Despite sitting out majority of the games prior to Steph’s injury, JK came in and had immediate impact. He averaged 24.2 points in the last four games against Timberwolves. Although the Warriors ended up losing the series, Jonathan proved his worth with his impressive performance.
Regardless of where his career takes him next, Kuminga has earned the respect of Steph, as he sent an emotional message to the forward, “I hope the future is bright for him, whether it’s here, whether it’s wherever and knowing that he’s the guy in this league that can continue to climb that ladder, on his own pace. I think he’s gone through a lot that most people haven’t in four years and seen a lot. So hopefully, he’s better because of it.” Moreover, Steph has faith in Dunleavy to make the right call.
Stephen Curry assures confidence in Mike Dunleavy as he confirms tough conversations about Warriors’ future
Well, Kuminga’s performance in these playoffs proved that he is a solid young talent. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the Warriors will bring him back. Of course, fit will be a major concern for them, as that has been a problem for JK ever since Jimmy Butler arrived. Then, salary will also be an issue. Kuminga and Warriors failed to reach an agreement last summer because he was reportedly seeking a $35 million per year extension, while Dunleavy was willing to offer only $30 million. Now, it’s on the GM to figure out how much he is willing to spend on Kuminga to bring him back, or is he willing to spend anything at all.
Dec 23, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) looks on against the Indiana Pacers in the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
While Dunleavy deals with this pressure, Steph has complete faith in him, “We need to probably get a little bit bigger across the board. Those can be addressed, but how and how you get to that I think is what Mike’s gonna have to figure out. We got confidence that he can do it.” Yes, Curry hinted that the Warriors need to add more size this summer, which caused major problems for them in these playoffs. He is even willing to help Dunleavy in the process, “You hate to see guys go and what not but every team has to get better and they have to address that. I think from Joe, to Mike, Steve, our veteran leaders, like we’ll all have those conversations and try to answer those questions the best that we all can. And hopefully, make moves that make our team better. That’s what the name of the game is.” What the Warriors do this summer could determine the future of the franchise. So, every key person’s opinion will be taken into account. Do you think they should re-sign Kuminga?
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