May 8, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) dribbles the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half during game two of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Anticipated Jonathan Kuminga Move Should Have Teams Watching Closely

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Sep 10, 2025 12:04 AM ET

Jonathan Kuminga’s free agency saga will have to end soon enough.

In less than one month, the Golden State Warriors forward has a deadline, which forces him to decide on one of two options.

Kuminga will have to accept his qualifying offer from the Warriors or take their multi-year deal.

The former situation seems to be most likely at this time.

via NBC Sports Bay Area: “Kuminga signing the qualifying offer remains the anticipated outcome. The deadline to do so is Oct. 1. Meanwhile, Al Horford and the rest of the veterans in Golden State’s waiting room are quietly pleading for clarity.”

Jonathan Kuminga is ‘anticipated’ to accept the Warriors’ qualifying offer, per @MontePooleNBCS

“Kuminga signing the qualifying offer remains the anticipated outcome. The deadline to do so is Oct. 1. Meanwhile, Al Horford and the rest of the veterans in Golden State’s waiting… pic.twitter.com/EwPnOCLjr6
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 10, 2025

The 22-year-old forward hit the free agency market as a restricted player this summer. For months, Kuminga’s future was in question.

At one point, it seemed the Warriors were likely to trade Kuminga in a sign-and-trade deal, but those talks never gained enough traction to go through.

Although there were rumors throughout the 2024-2025 season that suggested the Warriors were souring on Kuminga, the contract offer on the table suggests otherwise.

Recently, it was reported that the Warriors offered Kuminga a two-year offer worth $45 million. The dealbreaker for the Warriors veteran was the team option attached to the second season.

Kuminga won’t make as much playing on the $7.9 million qualifying offer, but he can hit the free agency market as an unrestricted player next summer, increasing his chances of landing a better offer in his eyes.

Back in 2021, Kuminga joined the Warriors as their seventh-overall pick out of the NBA G League Ignite program. During his rookie season, Kuminga appeared in 70 games, averaging 9.3 points and 3.3 rebounds amid the Warriors’ championship run.

While the Warriors were open to starting Kuminga for 46 of his 74 appearances during his third season, he reverted to a bench role last year, which raised eyebrows and caused trade rumors to heat up frequently throughout the year.

Even with a slight dip in minutes and a bench role, Kuminga still averaged 15.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. The Warriors still see plenty of value in the veteran forward, hence the $45 million investment they are willing to make. However, all signs are pointing to Kuminga settling for the qualifying offer, which makes him an intriguing player to watch in the coming months.

Kuminga's final decision will be made right around the start of training camp for Golden State.