Due to the Golden State Warriors’ inability to come to a contract extension deal with Jonathan Kuminga before to the deadline, the youthful forward will be eligible for restricted free agency in the summer of 2025. The negotiations never really took off, as Anthony Slater of The Athletic first revealed, and Kuminga will now head into a crucial season with his future at Golden State in doubt.

After months of talks between Kuminga’s representatives and the Warriors, it appears that neither party was able to agree on the financial parameters of an extension, which is why this situation occurred.

Since being selected seventh overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, the 22-year-old forward has been an important member of the Warriors’ youthful core. Kuminga’s position in the Warriors’ rotation has been erratic, frequently alternating between starter and bench player, despite the huge expectations that surrounded him.

He averaged 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game while starting 46 of the 74 games he played last season, displaying glimpses of his enormous potential. But throughout the playoffs, he played fewer and fewer minutes, which increased anger on both sides.

According to reports, Kuminga’s camp has been lobbying for a contract that matches his star potential, much like other players in his draft class who have landed max contracts, such Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes.

Though they have acknowledged Kuminga’s development, the Warriors have been reluctant to give him such a deal until they have seen greater consistency from him. Before agreeing to a long-term, high-value agreement, the team hopes to assess his improvement further in the forthcoming season.

Steve Kerr, the head coach of the Warriors, has expressed his views openly regarding what Kuminga must do to increase his playing time and solidify his position on the squad. While Kuminga possesses the athleticism to guard several positions, Kerr has previously stated that his offensive game needs to be more refined, especially if he wants to move into playing more minutes at the small forward position.

According to Kerr, Kuminga’s future role will be heavily influenced by his capacity to make better decisions on the floor and shoot the three-ball with consistency.

Kuminga will start the 2024–25 season for the Warriors despite these worries, and they will probably rely more on him now that veteran Draymond Green is healing from an injury. Kuminga has a fantastic opportunity to establish his value and position himself for a more lucrative contract, either with Golden State or elsewhere, thanks to this expanded role.

Kuminga’s predicament is compared to that of other young athletes who gamble on their own prospects by exercising restricted free agency. The Warriors will have the option to match any offer Kuminga receives from other clubs because he is a restricted free agent, which will give them the advantage in keeping him if they so want. But if Kuminga had a breakthrough season, opposing teams may offer him a big contract, which would put the Warriors in a precarious financial position.

The Warriors also just agreed to a three-year, $39 million contract agreement with Moses Moody, a young player selected in the 2021 selection class, in addition to Kuminga. With this agreement, Moody’s is demonstrating the organization’s dedication to nurturing its youthful talent while striking a balance between preparing for the future and vying for titles now.

The 2024–25 season will be a turning point in Kuminga’s career. He may land the kind of max contract he thinks he’s worth if he can take advantage of his increased role and keep getting better. This season will give the Warriors the information they need to decide if Kuminga can be a long-term fixture on the team or if his future is elsewhere.

Everyone will be watching Kuminga closely during the season to see if he can step up to the plate and demonstrate that he’s prepared to advance in his NBA career.