Kumingga returns to the Warriors for two years with $48.5 million + team options! ESPN Rating: Warriors B+

Translator's note: The original text was published on EPSN, and the data in the article were as of the time of the original text (September 30th local time). The dates and times involved were all agreed between the Warriors and Kumingga to renew the contract for two years. The Warriors rating: B+

On the day before Kumingga unilaterally accepted the one-year $8 million qualification offer as a restricted free agent, he chose to sign a longer contract with the Warriors. The deal allowed Kuming to stay with the Golden State Warriors with a tradable salary.

In the end, Kumingga could not refuse the generous reward of the contract. Under the contract, he will earn about $15 million more this season than accepting qualification offers. But in exchange, he agreed to the 2026-27 team option, which would limit his earning potential if he performs well in a future season.

Although it is understandable that Kumingga wants to avoid locking in his future for a long time - this is why he chose this contract instead of a three-year contract with the team having the option, although the latter is roughly the same annually - the negative impact of this choice may not be too great. As long as Kumingga stays with the Golden State Warriors, it will be difficult for him to get a contract with an annual salary of $30 million. The cooperation issues of

Kuminga's cooperation with Warriors core players Butler and Green affected the negotiation process. Despite being the third scorer for the Golden State Warriors, Cumingga fell out of head coach Steve Cole's rotation while the team was preparing for the playoffs. He failed to get a chance to play multiple times, including in the Warriors' play-off victory and the first game against the Houston Rockets in the first round.

Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors need Kumingga — or a better shot replacement — to manage playing time in the regular season. In the second round against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Cuminga's score became crucial when Stephen Curry was out. In the last four games of that series, Kuminga averaged 24.3 points per game and shot as high as 55%.

Kuminga's influence and salary position give him additional chips beyond the threat of accepting qualification quotes. He could have chosen to sign after the start of the season, hoping that the team's injury situation forced the Golden State Warriors to return to the negotiating table. However, this would be a huge risk, so it is understandable that Kuminga chooses a safer approach.

From the Warriors' perspective, it is crucial for Kumingga to abandon the trade veto that would normally be included in this contract. The Golden State Warriors could have circumvented this restriction by exercising the 2026-27 season option ahead of schedule, making the contract a multi-year contract that is not bound by the Bird clause. However, Kuminga's abandonment of this trade veto means that the Warriors can include him as an expiration contract if necessary. The Warriors are more likely to find a Kuminga trading plan that both sides are satisfied with. Apparently, the interest in Cuminga by the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings in Cuminga reflects his worth in the league. It is more complicated to reach a sign-on and exchange agreement this summer because according to the basic annual compensation rules, Kumingga's full salary cannot be included in the transaction. However, this problem will no longer exist by January 15 when Kumingga can be traded.

Kuminga's optimistic outlook is that he will celebrate his 23rd birthday next Monday and has shown outstanding foul-making ability. Last season, he received more than 7 free throws every 36 minutes. Combined with his shooting performance in the first three seasons, Kumingga is expected to maintain a steady efficiency given his high usage rate.

If this happens, Kumingga will become a full free agent before his 25th birthday and will have the opportunity to increase his $48.5 million in revenue on this contract basis. While this may not be the ideal contract for Kumingga, it will be a good result for all parties in the long run.

The Warriors officially signed Kumingga, paving the way for signing Seth Curry, Al Horford and D'Anthony Melton. The three players are expected to join the Golden State Warriors this summer, but the specific amount of the contract is still worth paying attention to. If Cuming Canada gets the full $48.5 million and Horford also gets the full middle class special, the Warriors will not have enough salary space to retain the full NBA contracts of all 15 players under the hard salary cap.

The Golden State Warriors re-signed Melton with a veteran's basic salary, which is a very cost-effective deal. Last year, the Warriors used the non-luxury tax middle class exception to sign a one-year contract with Melton when he was a full free agent. Melton was strong at the beginning of the season, averaging 10.3 points per game in 20.2 minutes of playing time, but unfortunately he suffered a partial ACL torn in Game 6 of the season and required a season-reimbursement surgery. Afterwards, the Warriors exchanged Melton's salary space for Dennis Schroeder, but now they signed back for Melton at a lower price, hoping that he can rebuild his value after returning from injury.

Author: Kevin Pelton

Compiled by selu