The Golden State Warriors enter the final stretch of an offseason that has been stalled by one problem player and one looming deadline. With training camp set to open on September 29 and the qualifying offer cutoff arriving on October 1, Jonathan Kuminga still has offers on the table that he has not yet signed on to. The team still carries only nine signed players as front office moves sit on hold while Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency drags on. The list of offers includes a three-year $75.2 million deal that has a team option in year three, but Kuminga’s camp has pushed back hard. Anthony Slater even relayed the player’s message clearly when he said, “turn the T.O. to a P.O. and it’s done”.

Aaron Turner, Kuminga’s agent, has taken the negotiation public this week with interviews on ESPN and the Warriors’ radio station, and his tone has been both firm and pointed as the calendar tightens. “If JK came back on the QO, would he be excited to play? Yeah, he’s itching to play right now. But the reality is … he’s got to get to the summer of ’26, ’27 healthy,” Turner explained, claiming that if stuck on the qualifying offer, Kuminga will prioritize health & free agency over Warriors’ title chase.

However, in what can be seen as a direct message to Steve Kerr, Turner said they’re on board with “sacrificing some compensation” in year one so Warriors could sign Al Horford. Further, explaining how the lack of offers in restricted free agency does not scare the player or the agent, Turner explained, “If I have a Lambo worth $175k on Monday, why take $60k on Saturday just because I need cash?” The claim was simply that Kuminga has no qualms waiting it out by signing the QO simply because he knows he will get better offers next offseason. Hence, the ball once again is in the Warriors’ court, as it is the franchise that needs him to sign a multi-year deal so that they can get enough assets when they do decide to trade him.

“Mat Ishbia … would give JK whatever he could if he had the cap space. They’re saying, ‘Hey, we want you to be you … put the ball in your hands … huge opportunity to play,” Turner explained. “If you’re going to tell somebody … another team will give you $100M and a player option and starting role, but we won’t … I wouldn’t ask somebody to be happy about that.”

Turner told hosts that his client would sign immediately if the Warriors convert that team option into a player option, framing the demand as a matter of control and career timing. He also made a promise aimed at the coaching staff, saying “I think it is important, when you have a player this important as JK, to feel good about the business so that the basketball can be the focus”. Owner Joe Lacob has even flown in for face to face talks as the sides try to bridge a gap.

October 1 is the clear deadline for restricted free agents to accept a qualifying offer or sign an extension, and that date now matters to both parties in a very concrete way. One consequence Turner outlined on the Hoop Collective podcast is that the qualifying offer remains on the table as a strategic option, with Kuminga prepared to use the QO to regain full control next summer. Turner acknowledged the tension in that plan while also saying claiming that JK will be excited to play even if he signs only the QO.

Numbers matter in this fight and they tell the story of why both sides are dug in. The Warriors’ most recent high end pitch guarantees about $48.3 million over the first two seasons of the three year $75.2 million structure while keeping a team option in year three, and alternative proposals have ranged down to a fully guaranteed three year $54 million offer. The qualifying offer sits at $7.9 million for one year with a built in no trade clause, and Turner has argued that a QO route could yield a stronger market next summer. He has also signaled flexibility to help with roster construction, saying of the Horford pursuit that “look, I’ll sacrifice for that. Give Al the taxpayer mid level, comes in, it helps”.

For the Warriors the stakes are simple and immediate. This negotiation is the key that unlocks multiple other moves the front office wants to make, it affects how the rotation shapes up for Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler, and it will likely determine whether Kuminga stays or becomes a bargaining chip next season. The two sides are publicly posturing while privately trying to preserve a fragile relationship. With the calendar shrinking and training camp looming, both parties now trade promises and warnings as they wait for the other to blink before the October 1 deadline. Next we examine the warnings and what Kuminga might risk by doubling down on the qualifying offer.

On the other hand, the agent and the player have effectively cleared that it is not their loss, even if they end up signing the QO. While it doe mean that they will lose out on substantial money, the outlook appears to still be that the player is not happy at the Warriors.

Jonathan Kuminga suspected to be unhappy

Insiders say the mood around Kuminga has soured, and the blunt assessment from one NBA reporter captures that tension. Tim MacMahon summed up the feeling in league circles when he said “He’s miserable. He doesn’t want to be in Golden State”. That discontent is part of why the qualifying offer option has gained traction in Kuminga’s camp, even though it carries stark financial trade offs and relational costs with the franchise.

Analysts warn the math on the QO is brutal if Kuminga is counting guaranteed multiyear money now versus freedom later. Sam Vecenie framed the gap like this when he put the lost value in stark terms saying “Let’s call it 67 million over the next two seasons, which means you need Jonathan Kuminga to make 35 million a year basically in free agency after taking the qualifying offer, after you’ve screwed Golden State by taking the qualifying offer”. That calculation explains why league voices have urged caution.

Beyond money there is a real risk to Kuminga’s role and standing in the organization if he elects the QO path. Commentators have suggested that a one year low salary with a no trade clause would make the team less motivated to build around him, and Vecenie warned bluntly “They will have no reason to like really give you the chance to like, go out and go nuts and ball”. Repeated benching and uncertain minutes last season already showed how rotation status can shift quickly under coach Steve Kerr.

The Warriors meanwhile face their own penalties from the stalemate as roster planning stalls and veteran signings remain unofficial. The organization has laid out the contingency math for both keeping Kuminga and moving on, and owner involvement underscores how high the stakes are for both sides. With less than two weeks until the QO deadline and training camp set to open, the saga now enters its final act and every public promise, including those Turner has made to the coaching staff about buy in, will be tested on the court or in free agency next summer.