The Golden State Warriors’ offseason optimism has soured as restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga remains unsigned, skipping team media day and holding up progress on other free agent signings.

Negotiations have stagnated as Kuminga evaluates his options: accept a one-year, $7.9 million qualifying offer and hit unrestricted free agency next summer, or accept one of Golden State’s multi-year offers ($45 million over two years, $75.2 million over three, or a shorter $54 million deal) with all but one proposal featuring team options for the final year.

Kuminga’s camp has pushed for a player option to secure his future, but Warriors management remains firm on retaining control beyond 2027, unwilling to compromise, and the impasse casts uncertainty over the roster’s immediate plans.

Kuminga’s Big Gamble and Locker Room Ripples

Opting for the qualifying offer would be a major gamble, as it gives Kuminga a built-in no-trade clause and enables him to choose his next destination in 2026 when numerous teams project cap space.

However, he’d forfeit upwards of $15 million in guaranteed income next season and risk being moved or marginalized if Golden State pivots mid-year. Kuminga’s absence from media day has not gone unnoticed by teammates like Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, who publicly backed Kuminga’s right to choose but stressed the need for locker room solidarity when the dust settles.

What Comes Next as Deadline Looms?

With training camp underway and an October 1 decision deadline rapidly approaching, all eyes are on Kuminga’s choice: if he takes the qualifying offer, the Warriors risk losing a promising 22-year-old forward next summer for nothing, intensifying trade speculation and potential sign-and-trade scenarios with teams like Sacramento or Phoenix.

The front office, typically transparent but now silent, has signaled it will not alter its existing proposals, placing pressure on Kuminga to accept or walk away.