San Diego without Kuminga
San Diego, Californian sun, brand new terrain, and a minicamp that smelled like powder. Stephen Curry in conductor, Draymond Green faithful to his role as a thundering voice, Jimmy Butler as a surprise guest who gives all-Star scrimming looks. On paper, anything to make salivate. But on the floor, a great absentee: Jonathan Kuminga.
No injuries, no extended holidays. No, it was a contractual arm that kept the young winger away from action. And in a frankness where every detail counts, this silence resonates strongly.
The contract
According to Shams Charania, tension is played around a player option. Three words, but a world of difference. The Kuminga clan wants control, the possibility of regaining control over its future in two or three years. The Warriors don't want to give in. On the table: three years at 75 million, or two years at 45. Attractive amounts, but with only team options. Anyway, money but not the key.
And while the negos are trampling, the calendar is moving forward. October 1st is approaching, and Kuminga must choose. Take the 7.9 million qualifying offer, rely on a non-exchange clause and aim for total freedom in 2026. Or keep pushing to pick up this famous player option.
The domino that blocks everything
À Golden State, ce dossier n’est pas juste une ligne budgétaire. C’est une pièce maîtresse du puzzle. Tant que Kuminga n’a pas signé, les autres dossiers restent au frigo. Marc Stein parle d’Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II ou encore Seth Curry dans le viseur. Des profils parfaits pour arrondir les angles autour du trio Curry–Butler–Green. Mais impossible de bouger tant que le feuilleton Kuminga n’a pas trouvé sa chute.
As a result, the Warriors are waiting. Fans are tripping. And in the corridors, some are starting to wonder if this is not the sign that the two sides no longer imagine the same future.
An energized minicamp
In San Diego, despite the absence of the person concerned, life continues. Curry distributes smiles, Green distributes orders, Butler distributes fuckets. The atmosphere is studious, almost family. But everyone knows that: one link is missing.
Kuminga was to embody the transition, the athletic and explosive relay of a dynasty that clings to its throne. Seeing him absent for contract matters is more than an administrative detail. It's a slamming symbol.
Now what?
Jonathan Kuminga's future looks like a crossroads. If he accepts the proposed deal, he remains in the Warriors' plan and continues to learn alongside Curry. If he says no, he takes the risk of a tense season, with the shadow of a trading around.
Anyway, this file will shape the Warriors season. Because this team, more than ever, has no right to error. Maybe a dynasty lives its last hours of glory. And the choice of a 21-year-old might well decide if the light goes off slowly... or if it shines a little longer.
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