No one is sure if Jonathan Kuminga will stay with the Golden State Warriors or head to a new team before the upcoming season.
This has been a question floating around the league for more than a year now, and an answer could be coming soon.
According to Anthony Slater, Kuminga has an unwavering demand for his future: he doesn’t want to be a “secondary” player.
“Beyond the contract demands, Kuminga is in search of a more guaranteed, consistent starting role and featured opportunity, sources said. That’s something both the Suns and Kings have pitched. Kuminga would be a significant part of the Warriors’ rotation to open next season, and they’ll need his supplementary scoring on nights that either Steph Curry, 37, or Jimmy Butler, 35, rest. That’s something head coach Steve Kerr has voiced to Kuminga in recent weeks. Kerr has been one of the leading voices trying to patch this together, sources said. But Kuminga no longer wants to be a secondary option or a fallback plan, fearing a minimization in important moments,” Slater said, via NBACentral.
Jonathan Kuminga is not interested in being a secondary option, per @anthonyVslater
“Beyond the contract demands, Kuminga is in search of a more guaranteed, consistent starting role and featured opportunity, sources said. That’s something both the Suns and Kings have pitched.… pic.twitter.com/OUsEKEZk0p
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 24, 2025
It sounds like the Warriors want to keep Kuminga around, but they may not be able to guarantee a consistent spot in the starting five.
A couple of seasons ago, that seemed possible.
Kuminga started in 46 of his 74 games in the 2023-24 season, and it looked like he had patched things up with head coach Steve Kerr.
Last season, things were different, and he started in only 10 games.
On top of that, he played in just 47 matches for the entire season.
The chances of Kuminga going from that to routinely starting seem unlikely, but it could happen.
According to Slater, it’s Kerr who is trying to keep this relationship going, but he only has so much power.
And if Kuminga will only settle on a starting role, he might be out of luck with the Warriors.
But what are his other options, and is he willing to leave the only team he’s ever played for in order to become a starter?
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