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How Jonathan Kuminga sees himself compared to 2021 Draft classmates Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes revealed

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Aaditya Krishnamurthy | Last updated Aug 18, 2025 9:04 AM ET

Jonathan Kuminga sees himself with the stars he came up with in the 2021 NBA Draft class, Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes.

Jonathan Kuminga is having quite the tenuous offseason. He and the Golden State Warriors have been at odds with each other at the negotiation table.

Kuminga is hoping to leave the Warriors in pursuit of a bigger role. But the lack of offers in his restricted free agency has left him at the mercy of the Warriors.

The Milwaukee Bucks tried trading for Kuminga, but the Warriors’ high price turned them away. There hasn’t been any headway made on a deal.

But what does Kuminga expect when he is on a new team? Well, according to an insider, the young forward thinks quite highly of himself, especially compared to his compatriots.

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Jonathan Kuminga sees himself similar to Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes

According to Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle, Jonathan Kuminga sees himself at a high level among young players in the NBA.

In fact, Kuminga considers himself at the same level as his fellow 2021 Draft classmates Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes. This could be a big reason why he and the Warriors haven’t come to terms.

“He apparently thinks he’s at the Cade Cunningham–Scottie Barnes level, where he should get that type of contract. It’s really a quandary. I think it’s bad for the Warriors and bad for him.”

This discrepancy between how Kuminga sees himself and how the Warriors see him has become a serious problem.

ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne urged Kuminga to take the Warriors’ player option. But Kuminga has one big condition for returning to the team.

Jonathan Kuminga won’t be a pawn for Golden State Warriors

According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Jonathan Kuminga has no intention of returning to the Golden State Warriors if he will be used as a trade asset next season.

“Kuminga wants more of a player-friendly deal — more of a signal that he’s a building block and not just a trade asset; the word I’ve heard from the Kuminga side is ‘pawn.’

“He doesn’t want to sign this two-year, $45 million deal with a team option where he is clearly just being used to be traded mid-season. That’s not something he wants to sign up for.”