Jonathan Kuminga ends free agency saga by agreeing to multi-year deal with Warriors: Reports
SAN FRANCISCO After months of negotiations restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors have definitively agreed to a new contract The forward has signed a two-year million deal with the band that drafted him according to ESPN s Shams Charania The second year of the contract is revealed to be a club option and Kuminga remains a business candidate The deal clears the way for the Warriors to also sign unrestricted free agents Al Horford and De Anthony Melton who have long been linked to the association but have not signed a contract until Kuminga s salary and the cap space left over after was determined The Warriors tendered a million qualifying offer to Kuminga on June officially marking his entry into the restricted free agent sector He had until Wednesday to accept the qualifying offer which would have rendered him an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season During a fresh appearance on an ESPN podcast Kuminga s agent Aaron Turner reported that his client desired a participant option something Kuminga ultimately gave up In four seasons since being the No pick in the draft Kuminga has averaged points and grabbed rebounds in games played While he was often a part of the rotation Kuminga started in just of his games played during his first three years with his minutes fluctuating A featured role is something Kuminga has been vocal about since the season ended He stated The Athletic that he sees himself as a future All-Star Kuminga appeared to be in the midst of a breakout to start the - season averaging points and rebounds per contest over the first games His rise had Draymond Green willing to move to the bench during a December hot streak that saw Kuminga start six straight games which seemed to be a clear sign that Kuminga s time in the spotlight had come Even after moving back to the bench Kuminga still averaged almost minutes per tournament as the sixth man in the next eight games But a severe right ankle injury suffered against Memphis in early January forced Kuminga to miss the next games during which time the Warriors traded for Jimmy Butler III in a blockbuster deal Related Articles What happens if Jonathan Kuminga declines the qualifying offer Kurtenbach Kuminga s contract standoff turns Warriors media day into a -man circus Warriors stars downplay Kuminga contract situation at media day The Warriors big plans for Year with Jimmy Butler already started in San Diego Missing the Valkyries Stars will be playing in Unrivaled league Suddenly the opportunities that existed for the fourth-year forward no longer existed and he struggled to find his groove next to Butler In post-return games Kuminga averaged just points per tournament in a shade over minutes a challenge He was then a healthy scratch from the season finale against the Clippers which began a run of three consecutive games without playing a minute He received only spotty playing time during Golden State s seven-game slugfest with Houston in the first round but was handed the keys to the offense against Minnesota after Curry was lost for the series with a hamstring injury Kuminga scored and points in the final four games of the series flashing the scoring talent and one-on-one defensive chops that had made him a tantalizing prospect and the lack of passing vision and rebounding that have frustrated Warriors observers
