Warriors & Kuminga "Far Apart" As Contract Deadline Looms

Monday is the deadline for NBA teams to sign extension-eligible players before the new season begins, and one notable rookie extension candidate, Jonathan Kuminga, is reportedly "far apart" in talks with the Golden State Warriors.

.@ShamsCharania with the latest on the Warriors' contract negotiations with Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody 👀 pic.twitter.com/V4N7KYN052
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 18, 2024

Insider Shams Charania reports that the Warriors do believe (hope?) that Kuminga could emerge into a "superstar" type of player. But he is apparently pricing himself out of an extension for now.

I'm told both sides are still far apart in extension conversations. Between now and Monday, I think there's a real belief that this could play out into the season and into restricted free agency (next summer).
This is a guy, Jonathan Kuminga, who really wants to bet on himself and try to be as close to a "max" contract type of player. But the Warriors need him to step up... and they want to see how he looks this season.

Kuminga took some major strides last season, boosting his average to 17.2 points on 53% shooting from the floor. His 6.2-point per-game increase from the previous year was third-best in the NBA (behind only the Chicago Bulls' Coby White and the Houston Astros' Alperen Sengun).

Even better, Kuminga averaged 19 points a game and 38% shooting from three-point range after January.

The 22-year-old was the 7th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, and he's now watched many of his contemporaries from that draft sign their own max extensions, players like Scottie Barnes, Evan Mobley, Franz Wagner and Cade Cunningham.

If he, too, feels he's worth that 5-year, $224 million deal, he may decide to take this into restricted free agency next summer.