Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga. Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

One key change can end Warriors' standoff with Jonathan Kuminga

By Adam Taylor | Last updated Sep 17, 2025 8:32 AM ET

After months of tough negotiations, it would appear that the Golden State Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga are nearing an agreement. Kuminga has been steadfast in his refusal to sign a contract containing a team option on the final year.

Instead, the former lottery pick wants a player option, which in turn gives him some additional control over his long-term future. According to ESPN's Anthony Slater, Kuminga would be willing to sign the current deal on the table if the Warriors turn the team option into a player option.

“I actually talked to Aaron Turner, Jonathan Kuminga’s agent, this morning, and the messaging they’re adopting this week is simple: turn the team option into a player option, and the deal is done,” Slater said on a September 16 episode of "NBA Today." “The three-year contract on the table is worth around $74 million, and if the third year becomes a player option, Kuminga will not only sign it but also fully buy into the team’s mission.”

It's common practice for players to have an option at the end of their deal. In doing so, they can control their own destiny and maximize their earning potential. Kuminga clearly doesn't want to continue being at the whim of an organization that has struggled to maximize his potential since drafting him in 2021.

Warriors have been "unwilling to budge" on a team option

In a recent report from ESPN's Shams Charania and Slater, it was noted that Golden State has been "unwilling to budge" from including a team option in the last two contract offers made to Kuminga.

"The Warriors have strengthened their effort. Late last week, Dunleavy offered Kuminga a three-year, $75.2 million deal with a team option in the third season, sources told ESPN," Charania and Slater reported. "...Their unwillingness to budge on the team option in those specific two offers is a major part of the holdup...The only non-team option offer the Warriors have made to Kuminga is three years and $54 million fully guaranteed, sources said, an average of $18 million per season."

The 2025-26 NBA season is fast approaching. Finally, there appears to be a path forward for both Kuminga and Golden State. If Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Joe Lacob are willing to make the small concession in negotiations, the saga could quickly draw to a close.

And, in truth, a player option doesn't change the future outlook for Kuminga too much. The Warriors could still trade him before the final year of his deal. Therefore, it's hard to envision an agreement not being made in the coming days.

Maybe then, the Warriors can finally begin to ramp up their preseason preparations.

Adam Taylor

Adam Taylor is a sports journalist based out of the UK. Adam has been covering the NBA for nearly a decade with a core focus on the Boston Celtics. He currently holds bylines with Yardbarker, SB Nation and USA Today

More must-reads: