Jonathan Kuminga Had Four-Word Message About Wanting to Stay With Warriors

One of Golden State's key rotational pieces wants to remain with the franchise long-term.
Apr 16, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00)
Apr 16, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
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Golden State Warriors wing Jonathan Kuminga just wrapped up his third (and most successful) NBA season since turning pro in 2021.

He's eligible for a contract extension this summer, which is something that hadn't really crossed Kuminga's mind.

"Oh, wow, I never...I didn't even think of that," Kuminga said when asked about the extension possibility. "It's just something I think my agent will be working on. I'm just going to focus on my mental and my body."

As far as a potential extension is concerned, Kuminga will leave the heavy lifting to his agent. However, he made one thing clear when asked about whether or not he wanted to stay with Golden State long-term.

"I love it here," Kuminga said. "The rest of the things are gonna [take care] of themselves."

Kuminga is one of the notable offseason roster pieces to watch, with the main tentacle being what future holds for longtime star shooting guard Klay Thompson.

Thompson is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and while he came alive after the All-Star break, his shooting struggles throughout the year were notable. His worst game was potentially his last with Golden State, as he went 0-10 from the floor and 0-6 from three with zero points in Tuesday's 118-94 loss to Sacramento that ended the Warriors' season.

A reunion between the Warriors and Thompson still makes a good deal of sense, but the contract talks could be complicated given Thompson's importance to the Golden State dynasty coupled with his significant struggles this season. The five-time All-Star finished the year averaging 17.9 points on 43.2% shooting from the floor and 38.7% shooting from three. All of those marks are Thompson's worst since his second year in the league in the 2012-13 season.

While Thompson's future with the Warriors is unclear, Kuminga's seems like a near-certainty. The third-year pro averaged 16.1 points and 4.8 rebounds on 52.9% shooting from the floor. He's in line for a payday that will tie him to the franchise for years to come.


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Mike McDaniel
MIKE MCDANIEL

Mike McDaniel is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where he has worked since January 2022. His work has been featured at InsideTheACC.com, SB Nation, FanSided and more. McDaniel hosts the Hokie Hangover Podcast, covering Virginia Tech athletics, as well as Basketball Conference: The ACC Football Podcast. Outside of work, he is a husband and father, and an avid golfer.