Jonathan Kuminga’s prolonged restricted free agency standoff with the Golden State Warriors loomed large over his team at Monday’s Media Day. Even so, Warriors superstar point guard Stephen Curry appears determined not to let the 22-year-old’s absence sidetrack his seasoned squad heading into a critical 2025-26 NBA campaign. Following his up-and-down fourth season that culminated with a second-round playoff breakout, Kuminga and Golden State have been at odds regarding his value.
The franchise has reportedly tendered three offers to the athletic, slashing forward. These include two-year, $45 million and three-year, $75.2 million deals, both with team options in the final season, as well as a three-year, $54 million contract without a team option. However, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Kuminga has “been resistant to the deals with team options unless the money goes up.” He is also seeking a player option after enduring “years of confusion” about his place in Warriors coach Steve Kerr’s rotation. Kuminga now has only until Wednesday to decide whether to settle for his one-year, $7.9 million qualifying offer in pursuit of greater control over his future in 2026 free agency.
How Does Stephen Curry Feel About Jonathan Kuminga’s Restricted Free Agency Impasse With the Warriors?
Speaking about Kuminga’s contract stalemate during Media Day, Curry underscored the importance of Golden State staying unified and maintaining locker room synergy amid the outside noise.
“He’s going to get asked questions. To your point, you’re asking questions, everybody’s gonna ask questions about it, but what happens when I leave this microphone and we go in the locker room and us players talk, that’s gonna be the make or break of how we kind of move into the year with the right frame of mind,” Curry said.
The two-time MVP added that the Warriors should be well-equipped to navigate such a challenging situation, given the wealth of experience among their core players.
“The good news is, we’ve been around long enough — me, Draymond [Green], Jimmy [Butler III] — we’ve all been around long enough to know how to separate the business of it [from] the basketball of it, and those are two totally different areas,” Curry explained.
“So, our job is to focus on the basketball part and not let it become something that gets in the way of how we approach every day.”
Steph Curry on potential Kuminga distraction: “He’s going to get asked questions. You’re asking questions…But what happens when I leave this microphone, go in the locker room and players talk — That’ll be make or break about whether we move into year with right frame of mind.” pic.twitter.com/WhCORCG3Nm
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) September 29, 2025
Curry also anticipated Kuminga being “professional” upon his eventual return, regardless of how his contract talks play out.
While concerns linger about Kuminga’s limited outside shooting and playmaking abilities, as well as his overall fit alongside Golden State’s veterans, he remains one of the team’s highest upside players. As such, a productive, locked-in campaign from the 2021 No. 7 pick could help the Warriors build on last season’s second-round playoff run.
