Jimmy Butler Questions Warriors About Jonathan Kuminga Contract Stalemate

Jimmy Butler reportedly contacted the Golden State Warriors front office to ask for an update on the continued contract stalemate between the team and restricted free-agent forward Jonathan Kuminga, NBC Sports Bay Area reporter Dalton Johnson said on the latest Dubs Talk podcast.

“In that ESPN article, they mentioned that Draymond [Green] and Jimmy have checked in and reached out to Jonathan Kuminga. I can confidently say that Jimmy Butler has also reached out to the team and been like, ‘What’s going on here? I just wanted to know the plan,'” Johnson said.

Jimmy Butler Told Warriors To Make A Decision Already

ESPN’s Anthony Slater and Shams Charania reported in the aforementioned article that Golden State recently increased its offer to $75.2 million over three years, but Kuminga and his representatives refused to accept the deal because it contains a team option for the final season.

“I can confidently say that Jimmy Butler has also reached out to the team and been like, ‘What’s going on here? I just want to know the plan,’” Johnson said.

Johnson also noted that the Warriors were quick to resolve any lingering issues with Butler when they acquired him from the Miami Heat in a February trade.

Butler had been in a long standoff with the Heat because they were unwilling to agree to an extension, but Golden State announced a new two-year, $111 million contract with Butler when the trade was finalized.

“I think Jimmy, as someone who came on last year and kind of showed, ‘All right, you took care of me, all the drama’s done, all the Miami stuff, it’s just basketball for me. I’m all about basketball,” Johnson added.

“When I’m on the contract for you, it’s about basketball. And now I think he’s saying, ‘Hey, show me that it’s all about basketball. We have two weeks until training camp. So either just pay [Kuminga] or move him. Like, there needs to be a decision.’”

Jonathan Kuminga Expected To Sign Qualifying Offer

In July, Charania and Slater reported that the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns both expressed interest in acquiring Kuminga in a sign-and-trade, and one of the teams offered Kuminga a four-year deal worth nearly $90 million as part of the proposal.

However, Charania added on NBA Today that Sacramento had offered Golden State a conditional first-round pick and a rotation player in the trade, but the Warriors rejected it and demanded an unprotected first-round pick.

Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, told Slater that his client would be willing to take the Warriors’ latest offer if the team option is replaced by a player option.

If a new deal isn’t reached, Kuminga can still choose to accept the one-year, $7.9 million qualifying offer that was tendered in late June. It contains a no-trade clause and would make him an unrestricted free agent next summer.

When the Kuminga dilemma is finally resolved, the Warriors intend to use their taxpayer midlevel to fill out the roster, with veteran big man Al Horford and guards De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, and Seth Curry as potential signings.