Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency continues to drag on, despite training camps opening in two weeks. Although the Golden State Warriors recently increased their offer to Kuminga, the two sides remain far apart on a new deal.
One viable option for Kuminga is to sign his $7.9 million qualifying offer for the upcoming season. That would put the four-year veteran on a one-year deal, while also giving him a no-trade clause for the 2025-26 NBA league year. That’s because Kuminga would lose his Bird rights if traded while on the one-year contract.
To this point, Kuminga has held off on signing the qualifying offer in hopes of still landing a deal with the Warriors, or the two sides finding a sign-and-trade opportunity.
If Kuminga were to return to Golden State this year on the qualifying offer, it would allow the team to remain below the first apron, while filling out their roster. The Warriors reportedly have interest in several veteran free agents to fill their six open roster spots. In addition, Kuminga and Golden State could look for a sign-and-trade in the 2026 offseason, as he’ll still have full Bird rights.