Warriors invited unnecessary pressure by not extending Jonathan Kuminga

If you've watched the Golden State Warriors over the last 18 months, chances are you've seen the developmental jump Jonathan Kuminga has taken. The former seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft is emerging as a genuine star of the future. He's seen as the heir apparent to Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.

Yet, the Warriors opted against inking Kuminga to a rookie-scale extension this summer. Instead, the fourth-year forward will become a restricted free agent next summer. Considering the consistent chatter surrounding Klay Thompson's future last season, the front office's decision to repeat the process is questionable. 

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Kuminga's current contract status has led to multiple NBA teams keeping close tabs on his availability. 

"A telltale moment happened for the Warriors on Friday night, when Curry, Green and coach Steve Kerr spoke about this being fourth-year forward Jonathan Kuminga's time to take the mantle and Green accepted a bench role for Kuminga to start at power forward," Charaia wrote. "Rival executives are surely keeping an eye on Kuminga's play, as he is set to be a restricted free agent in July."

While the Warriors internally view Kuminga as their future All-Star, outside, he's viewed as their biggest trade asset. The front office spent the summer searching for a second star talent to pair with Curry following Thompson's departure. If they choose to go looking for top-shelf talent again, Kuminga will likely be the first name opposing general managers bring up. 

By not inking Kuminga to an extension, the Warriors have welcomed additional interest in their young star. Teams may believe that's he's available at the right price. The Warriors are being forced to navigate a non-stop media cycle of potential trades. The worst part is that everything could have been avoided if they were more amenable to hearing Kuminga's demands last summer.

As a restricted free agent, Golden State still holds all the cards when it comes to Kuminga's future. Still, if it truly believes he's its core building block, he should already have a contract extension in place. There's too much mixed messaging going on.