Jonathan Kuminga's offseason saga with the Golden State Warriors was possibly the biggest story in the league for the past few months. The contract stalemate was less about money for Kuminga than it was about respect.
That being said, Kuminga did pretty well for himself in the end.
The Warriors have finally come to an agreement with Kuminga. He has signed a two-year deal with Golden State worth $48.5 million. It has a team option in year two, meaning that they retain some control over where he ends up if he tries to part ways with the Warriors next season.
It's not the long-term commitment the Warriors were looking for. And this deal gives the Warriors more control over Kuminga's immediate future than he probably wanted. Still, this story isn't even close to over, yet, especially for the Kings.
Kuminga and the Sacramento Kings
A huge part of this journey was the Kings. Jonathan Kuminga made it clear that his preferred destination after the Warriors would be Sacramento. The Kings seemed quite happy to oblige the young forward. Or they tried to, at least.
Several trade attempts were made between the two teams. At one point, the Kings made an offer that included Malik Monk and a protected first-round draft pick. That didn't go through because of that pick's protected status, which the Warriors didn't want.
Reputedly, the Warriors were quite interested in trading for Keegan Murray, and rightfully so. That trade wouldn't have made sense for the Kings, though. Those moves might not have worked out, but that doesn't mean the game is over between the Warriors and the Kings.
The Kings may still be working on Kuminga
At first blush, Kuminga signing a two-year deal with the Warriors would seem like him committing to the team. But his concerns were more about playing time and a clear role on the court than money. Steve Kerr is still the coach, and his focus on the veterans over developing young stars is undeniable.
Had Kuminga not taken this contract, he would have automatically been signed to a qualifying offer for a year. That's an offer with a no-trade clause, meaning the Kings would have had to wait a year for him to become an unrestricted free agent to sign him.
Now, the Kings can keep working with the Warriors all the way up to the trade deadline on February 5, 2026. While Kuminga is in place for the moment, that could easily change over the next few months. That's assuming the Kings are willing to sign on to Kuminga's current contract to bring him in.