Warriors free agent has deluded expectations

Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Kuminga, the Warriors' 22-year-old forward, believes that he is "at the Cade Cunningham-Scottie Barnes level, where he should get that type of contract."

Cunningham was the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, when Kuminga was the seventh selection. He and Barnes, the No. 4 pick, both received maximum extensions last summer — but they've also both been All-Stars. No. 3 pick Evan Mobley, also an All-Star last season, got a max extension, while No. 2 pick Jalen Green and No. 5 pick Jalen Suggs, who made the All-Defensive Team in 2024, both signed deals over $100M.

Kuminga isn't nearly as accomplished. There's an idea that Kuminga is still an unknown commodity who has lacked opportunities to shine, but in 2023-24, Kuminga averaged 26.4 minutes in 74 games. He was playing similar minutes last season before an ankle injury cost him 31 games. Teams have 5,762 minutes of game tape on Kuminga the last four seasons — plenty to see that he's not at the level of Barnes and Cunningham.

Ultimately, it doesn't matter what Kuminga thinks he should be paid because there’s no team willing to give him a salary anywhere close to the max. The Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns have made offers that are well below that level — reportedly three years and $63M from the Kings — but haven't been willing to make acceptable sign-and-trade offers. The Warriors have reportedly offered Kuminga $45M for two years, with the second year a team option.

The All-Star comparisons are a sign that Kuminga and his camp don’t have realistic expectations about what he's worth. Nor have they accepted the lack of leverage held by every restricted free agent. Players have to get a team to open up cap space to sign them to an offer sheet, with no guarantee the original team won't match. That's why the four most prominent restricted free agents, including 2021 No. 6 pick Josh Giddey, haven't signed this summer.

Perhaps this is more bluster from Kuminga and his camp, who have very little leverage beyond threatening to sign a one-year qualifying offer for $7.9M. If he's expecting to get paid like an All-Star, then the Warriors are further away in negotiations than previously thought.