Ending a summer-long stalemate, restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga has agreed to a two-year, $48.5 million deal to return to the Golden State Warriors, agent Aaron Turner of Verus Basketball told ESPN.
The deal includes a team option in the second year that is designed for the Warriors -- or another team if and when Kuminga is traded during the upcoming season -- to rip up and complete a fresh new contract after the 2025-26 campaign, sources said.
Ahead of Wednesday's qualifying offer deadline, Kuminga chose the two-year deal over a proposal of three years and $75 million so he can maintain a higher level of control over his immediate Warriors future. The Warriors never wavered on their team option frameworks during negotiations. Now, both sides understand the likelihood of exploring trades when Kuminga is eligible to be moved in mid-January. As part of the deal, he is waiving his inherent no-trade clause.
Kuminga missed media day Monday and the first day of Warriors practice on Tuesday as the sides finalized a deal.
Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Kuminga's side have been locked in a stalemate throughout the offseason over the framework of the contract, but Golden State ultimately increased its two-year offer by a total of $8 million between July and September and guaranteed Kuminga approximate $15 more than his one-year, $8 million qualifying offer would have for this season.
Over the last two months, the Warriors have had a standing offer of two years and $45 million with a team option, and earlier this month offered a three-year, $75 million contract with a team option and a three-year, $54 million fully guaranteed deal. Kuminga and his side wanted a player option throughout the negotiations, or a higher annual salary with a team option, requests that went denied by the Warriors.
Choosing the two-year structure allows Kuminga to create a decision for whichever team he is on next summer, or get to 2027 unrestricted free agency.
The Warriors made a jump to $48.5 million total over two years in the latest and last round of these drawn-out negotiations. Kuminga's deal becomes the fourth-highest salary on the Warriors' books next season behind Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green, escalating the team's luxury tax penalty by $70 million to a total of over $80 million.
By signing Kuminga to a salary of $22.5 million next season, Golden State will still have the flexibility to use their $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception and sign two players to the veteran's minimum. Gary Payton II signed a one-year, veteran's minimum contract with the Warriors on Monday and Al Horford, De'Anthony Melton and rookie Will Richard have agreed to deals too.
However, the Warriors won't have the room to sign a 15th player to start the season because they are now just $2.03 million below the second apron, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks. They will be able to sign a 15th player -- potentially free agent Seth Curry -- beginning Nov. 15.
The Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings were the strongest suitors for Kuminga in trade talks, with the largest sign-and-trade offer coming via the Suns as a four-year, nearly $90 million deal with a player option, sources said. The Warriors never showed interest in either team's trade proposal, however, declining concepts of Royce O'Neale and second-round picks from the Suns and Malik Monk and a protected first-round pick from the Kings.
Kuminga was largely out of the rotation in the Warriors' first-round series against the Houston Rockets, playing just 50 minutes total across seven games, including four that he sat out due to coach's decision. He averaged six points on 30.4% shooting against Houston. However, Kuminga shined in the Warriors' Western Conference semifinals series against the Minnesota Timberwolves with Curry sidelined. He averaged 20.8 points on 54.3% shooting against the Timberwolves, including three straight games scoring over 20 points to end the series.
Kuminga has led the Warriors in paint points per game in each of the last two seasons as he averaged 10 points in the paint in 2023-24 and 8.5 last season per ESPN Research -- a major boost for a team that was fifth-worst in paint points last season. Among players from the 2021 draft class, Kuminga ranks fifth in points per 36 minutes (min. 150 games).
Kuminga is also one of eight players with 3,000 points and 1,000 rebounds from the 2021 draft class, and he is one of five players to score 3,000 points before turning 23 in Warriors history.
Kuminga has showed an ability to raise his performance when the Warriors are missing a key cog, increasing his scoring average from 14.1 points per game in games Curry played to 19.6 points per game in 10 games without Curry, which was second on the team in this situation behind only 20 points per night from Butler, who played just 3 games without Curry). Kuminga also increased his shooting percentage from 44.5% with Curry to 48.2% without him.
Kuminga becomes the third restricted free agent to find a resolution in September, after Cam Thomas signed a one-year, $6 million qualifying offer to return to the Brooklyn Nets and Josh Giddey reached a four-year, $100 million deal to stay with the Chicago Bulls. Philadelphia's Quentin Grimes remains the final outstanding restricted free agent.
Entering free agency this summer, only a few teams had salary cap space, which created a freeze for the restricted market. The Nets have operated as the only team with real salary cap space for the majority of the offseason.
