How Haywood Highsmith’s Nets Arrival Could Affect Jonathan Kuminga’s Contract Talks

Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga's free agent market just shrunk—and it was a result of an under-the-radar trade between two Eastern Conference squads.

When the Brooklyn Nets agreed to essentially buy a second-round pick, taking on Haywood Highsmith's contract in the process while shipping out a heavily protected second-rounder next year, the potential to add Kuminga was all but erased.

Kuminga has been a rumored target of Brooklyn's for months now, despite the organization maintaining that its focus currently lies elsewhere. But now, especially as Cam Thomas' contract dispute continues, adding Kuminga no longer appears to even be a possibility.

ESPN's Bobby Marks articulated where the Nets' cap situation stands on X.

"Haywood Highsmith is on an expiring $5.6M contract. Including the $12.1M Cam Thomas free agent hold, Brooklyn is $22M below the salary cap," Marks posted. "They have until Oct. 21 to reach 90% of the salary cap."

The Nets were really the only team remaining that posed any sort of a threat to the Warriors. Now, Golden State will basically be able to match any offer sheet Kuminga signs, or just wait for him to take the qualifying offer.

The question is, was Brooklyn ever truly a threat?

All the reported "interest" that emerged throughout May and into June was just meaningless smoke. Not to mention, the Nets are grappling with a restricted free agent situation of their own with Cam Thomas, who will absolutely take priority over an outside player like Kuminga.

Perhaps the Kuminga-to-Brooklyn hype was slightly overdone. And now, Kuminga could be stuck.

Sure, he could take the path that Thomas may end up going down: playing the 2025-26 season on the qualifying offer, paving the way for unrestricted free agency next summer. That's certainly in play, and if anything, is the likeliest outcome.

Now that the Nets have shut the door on something they never truly opened it for, the Warriors can sign players not named Kuminga. Al Horford had apparently been waiting to see what happened with Kuminga. Now he can put pen to paper.

This Highsmith deal has far more implications than anyone thought upon the breaking of the deal. At first glance, it was just a veteran wing being shipped out to help clear future cap space. But now with Kuminga, Thomas and a crowded Nets roster involved, it has become apparent that Highsmith has impacted things far more than just any veteran wing.