While the Golden State Warriors have a Jonathan Kuminga decision to make, it isn't guaranteed that he won't be on the roster next season. If the Warriors sign him to a long-term extension, it could impact the rest of the roster.
Not only did Kuminga prove during the second round of the NBA Playoffs that he's good enough to compete in high-leverage situations, but he also might be worth more than the Warriors were hoping for.
The contract will be one thing, but according to a report from The Athletic, both sides are expected to explore sign-and-trade scenarios.
However, The Athletic added that it's mid-May, and there's a possibility that Kuminga could return to the team. If he does, Steve Kerr is expected to lean heavily toward the Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, and Kuminga lineup next year.
“But both sides are expected to explore sign-and-trade scenarios, those sources said, which would open up the market and theoretically give Kuminga the contract and fresh start he’d desire while bringing the Warriors back rotation players of immediate value. The Warriors’ decision-makers believe they need more positional size across the board — center and otherwise.
“But it’s mid-May. Nothing about Kuminga’s future is decided. Dunleavy’s front office and Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, will need to work through the various options. If he were to return, there’s been talk about Kerr giving the four-man combination of Curry, Kuminga, Green and Butler more of an early-season runway, and Butler has discussed working with Kuminga this summer,” they wrote.
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Some have questioned if Green and Kuminga can be on the court simultaneously.
However, for the Warriors to be the team they want to be, they'll need that to work out.
That could mean making a sign and trade would be the better decision to find a player with a better fit around Green, but it's also important to remember that the Warriors are only getting older.
Moving on from Kuminga, only 22 years old, might not be the right decision for the long term.