Golden State might want to keep JK.
As much as the basketball world seems to want the Golden State Warriors to get rid of Jonathan Kuminga, they don't necessarily feel the same way.
Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. shared his thoughts at Summer League on Kuminga, revealing to reporters that Golden State would love to keep him.
"When Steph went down he stepped up and that was admirable from JK's standpoint and that's a big reason why we wanna bring him back," Dunleavy said.
Kuminga had fallen out of the rotation entirely by the time the playoffs started. But first when Jimmy Butler got hurt, and then when Steph Curry got hurt, Kuminga was thrust back into big minutes.
He delivered multiple huge scoring nights while also showing that, when he applies himself, he can make a big impact on games defensively, too.
The Warriors know how talented Kuminga is. They see him every day. They don't just want to dismiss that.
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How to value the restricted free agent in a contract is a different issue.
Because on a fully healthy Golden State team Kuminga won't play an immense amount, maybe that means he doesn't deserve as big a salary. But because he showed how good he can be when called upon, Kuminga's side of the table surely wants a hefty payday.
And as an RFA, much of his value is determined by whether other teams in the league do or don't make Kuminga an official offer sheet that the Warriors would then have the choice to match.
This saga isn't over, but just keep it in mind: Golden State would love to have Kuminga back. The price just has to be right.
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