NBA

Why Jonathan Kuminga Won’t Be Back With The Warriors In 2025-26

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Anthony Cardenas
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Anthony Cardenas Sports Editor

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Published10 hours ago on May 25, 2025

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The Golden State Warriors and forward Jonathan Kuminga may be headed for a split this summer, especially given the recent comments made by both his teammates and his head coach.

Warriors, Kuminga Appear Headed For A Split This Summer

Kuminga was supposed to be a big piece of the Warriors’ future. Selected with the seventh overall pick in 2021, he was a part of the “second timeline” for Golden State, the group of players that would take over when the likes of Steph Curry and Draymond Green approach the end of their careers.

Things started off a bit slow as Kuminga averaged under 10 points per game in each of his first two NBA seasons, but found his footing in Year 3 when he bumped him average to 16.1. Following that 2023-24 campaign, the Warriors attempted to lock him up long-term, offering Kuminga a 5-year extension worth a reported $150 million.

He declined.

It may not have been the best decision for the young player. Instead of being one of the go-to options for Golden State, he was in and out of the rotation throughout the 2024-25 season, and struggled to find his place after the arrival of Jimmy Butler. Things got markedly worse during the playoffs, as head coach Steve Kerr held Kuminga out of four of the seven games during the first round series against the Houston Rockets.

Comments From Coach & Teammates Paint The Picture

So as the Warriors go over their financial situation this coming summer, they may view Kuminga as a piece they’d be willing to let go. Kerr’s comments on the situation were rather telling:

“It’s a tricky one because Jonathan obviously is gifted and wants to play a bigger role and wants to play more. And for me, I’ve been asked to win. And right now, he’s not a guy who I can say I’m going to play 38 minutes with the roster that we have”

On his podcast, Draymond Green echoed the sentiment that Kuminga may be playing for a new team come October.

Jonathan Kuminga is a restricted free agent. That means that he is free to speak with other teams during the offseason, and Golden State has the right to match any contract offer that he may receive.

But based on the comments surrounding the situation, it doesn’t seem like the Warriors will be all that willing to break the bank to keep him around. They already have loads of money owed to their three aging veterans, and getting a championship for Jimmy Butler and another for Steph Curry and Draymond Green appears to be the top priority for the campaign and beyond.