Warriors’ messy summer could lead to more than just Jonathan Kuminga’s exit

The Golden State Warriors didn’t just have a messy summer — they walked into a timeline crisis. Jonathan Kuminga’s extension talks are stuck, Jimmy Butler reportedly went straight to the front office for answers, and the roster feels thin for a team that still wants to act like a contender.

The headline issue is Kuminga. Golden State reportedly offered three years, $75.2M with a team option in Year 3 or three years, $54M with no option. Kuminga’s camp is pushing for player control on the final season or else taking the $7.9M qualifying offer for 2025-26. That would give the Warriors an expiring trade chip now, but it also dares them to solve this or risk losing him for nothing next summer.

Enter Jimmy Butler

After arriving at the 2025 trade deadline, Butler reportedly contacted the Warriors’ brass to push for clarity: get a deal done with Kuminga or pivot before camp. It may be a leadership move — remove the cloud, align roles and let the group lock in. The noise has already stalled other moves, with the roster still light on guaranteed deals.

This is the tension: Butler came to win now, while Kuminga is negotiating for leverage and timeline. If the stalemate lingers, the fallout could be bigger than one player. Their young cornerstone walks in 2026, the wing rotation thins, and suddenly Butler — now in his late-30s — may start to wonder if his own clock matches the franchise’s. Draymond Green remains the heartbeat, but as his deal winds down and the wear shows, he can’t cover every crack himself.

Golden State did trade for Butler in February in a multi-team deal. It was a bold reset after years of searching for a two-way wing to lift Steph Curry late in his prime. The bet: Butler’s edge plus internal growth (Kuminga) could restore a puncher’s chance in the West. That bet looks shakier if Kuminga’s future is month-to-month.

So what should the Golden State Warriors do?

Decide on Kuminga — fast. If you believe he’s a top-three piece next to Curry/Butler, pay the premium or craft a compromise with player protection in Year 3. If you don’t, trade him now for win-now wings and size while his value is high. Kicking the can to October just increases the odds he plays on a qualifying-offer path to 2026 free agency.

Balance Butler’s window with depth. Butler reportedly asked for direction because the team still needs playable contracts. Reports say targets were in limbo during the stalemate. Even with peak Curry shot-making, Golden State can’t survive another season short on reliable two-way minutes.

If Kuminga takes the QO, map contingencies now: extensions for role guys you trust, mid-season flexibility for another two-way forward and a line in the sand on overpaying aging names. Keeping movable salaries matters as much as star power under the current CBA.

Right now, the West’s top tier is deep and organized. The Warriors? They feel caught between eras. If Kuminga leaves in 2026 and Butler tires of treading water, this summer won’t just be about one contract — it’ll be the moment the dynasty finally slid into the middle.

The fix isn’t complicated, just uncomfortable: Pick a lane with Kuminga, then spend the rest of the summer fortifying the middle of the rotation so Butler and Curry aren’t dragging short benches by January. Anything less, and “messy” turns into “irreversible.”