Since being drafted 7th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, Jonathan Kuminga has remained somewhat of an enigma. Some NBA pundits will claim Kuminga is on the fast track to superstardom, while others are much more skeptical about his continued inconsistencies, and lack of polish. The upside of Kuminga is undeniable, but the actualization of that upside is far from a sure thing.
For a Warriors team that is desperate to squeeze whatever competitiveness they can out of the final few years of Stephen Curry’s career, they need to know they can—at the very least—trust Jonathan Kuminga. So far, despite steady improvement, the Warriors have continued to show hesitancy in entrusting Kuminga with too heavy a workload. As a result, it isn’t all that surprising to hear that, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, the Warriors aren’t “currently prepared” to offer a max contract extension to Kuminga.
Warriors’ Fourth-Year Forward Not expected to get Max Contract
Comparable Contract Situations of Other 2021 Draftees
Four players from Kuminga’s draft class—Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes, and Franz Wagner—have thus far received a max contract extension. From Kuminga’s perspective, it is understandable for him to feel deserving of being the fifth player from his class to receive a similar contract. As far as potential and upside are concerned, Kuminga is right there in the same tier as those other guys. The only difference, however, is that Cunningham, Mobley, Barnes, and Wagner have actualized their talent to a degree that Kuminga simply has not.
Cunningham is already a bona fide 20-pg scorer and a dynamic playmaker. If he can up his efficiency, to even league average, there’s no doubt about his All-Star upside. Mobley is an elite defender, one who’ll likely be a mainstay on All-Defensive teams for the next decade. Additionally, he’s also been a core member of multiple highly competitive Cavalier teams. Barnes is easily the most accomplished player of his class, with both a Rookie of the Year trophy and an All-Star selection to show for it. Barnes has made such an impression through the early portion of his career, that the Raptors chose to move on from both Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, in order to prioritize their young forwards development. Lastly, Wagner has also established himself much more than Kuminga. As the 1B to Paolo Banchero’s 1A, Wagner has already led his Orlando Magic to a playoff appearance.
Last Word on Jonathan Kuminga
While it is clear that the Warriors remain hesitant to commit ‘life-changing money’ to Kuminga, that could all change with a big 2024-2025 season. Kuminga’s athleticism remains breathtaking, and the way in which he can impact the game on both ends of the court is not something the Warriors can easily replace. With a little more prolonged consistency on Kuminga’s end, a sizable financial commitment from the Warriors could still be in the cards. A lot will be at stake for both Kuminga and the Warriors, when their season tips off on October 23, against the Trail Blazers.
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