Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga is prepared to sign his $7.9 million qualifying offer and enter unrestricted free agency in 2026 unless the team adds a player option to its latest contract proposal, agent Aaron Turner said on The Hoop Collective podcast.
Turner told the show that the qualifying offer “is real for sure” because it would give the 22-year-old control over his next destination after one more season in San Francisco. The comments come as negotiations drag on less than two weeks before the Warriors open training camp.
Latest offer on the table
According to Turner and previous reporting by ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Golden State’s current pitch is a three-year, $75.2 million deal with a team option in the final season—effectively two guaranteed years worth $48.3 million. Earlier offers included:
- Two years, $45 million with a team option in Year 2.
- Three years, $54 million fully guaranteed, the only proposal without a team option.
Turner said Kuminga would accept the newest arrangement if the team option were replaced by a player option. The Warriors have declined to consider that change.
Implications of the qualifying offer
Signing the one-year qualifying offer would pay Kuminga well below his projected market value but would make him an unrestricted free agent next summer. Turner argued that even if only “six teams” have cap space in 2026, Kuminga would be the “clear-cut under-35 top wing on the market.”
Outside interest
The Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings expressed interest earlier in the offseason, with Sacramento reportedly ready to guarantee $63–66 million over three years and Phoenix offering $80–88 million across four. Golden State halted sign-and-trade discussions, and neither club presented a package the Warriors found acceptable.
Warriors’ roster crunch
Golden State’s offseason plans—including agreements with free agents Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II—remain on hold. Using any portion of the mid-level exception would trigger a second-apron hard cap, limiting flexibility to match an opposing offer sheet for Kuminga.
Next steps
With media day set for 10 days from now, both sides face mounting pressure. Turner said Kuminga would accept the team’s two-year proposal if it preserved the inherent no-trade clause but noted Golden State has not moved on that point. He added that if the Warriors insist on a team option, compensation of about $30 million per year would be required.
“Nobody gets everything they really want,” Turner said, emphasizing that Kuminga is not opposed to staying but expects contractual terms that reflect a reduced role behind veterans Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Horford.
Source: HoopsRumors
