Jonathan Kuminga won’t let his Warriors contract uncertainty affect his approach to the 2024-25 NBA season.
Kuminga is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and although extension negotiations between his camp and the Warriors began in July, a deal has yet to be finalized.
To many, the uncertainty that comes with ongoing contract talks is enough to serve as a distraction, but that won’t be the case for the promising 21-year-old forward.
“My approach is to be great,” Kuminga told 95.7 The Game's Whitley Sandretto this week at training camp in Hawaii. “That’s always the main focus. A lot of people don’t think so, they don’t know that, but [for] me, my approach is to be great and just have fun, as much as I can this year.”
The fourth-year pro took his game to another level last season, averaging 16.1 points on 52.9 percent shooting, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 26.3 minutes in 74 games (46 starts).
With the Oct. 22 deadline for his extension looming, Kuminga’s plan for the upcoming season also includes enjoying his development process.
“Just having fun, being a sponge, being someone they can rely on at certain times, you know,” Kuminga told Sandretto. “That’s my approach this year: just trying to do as much as I can. I’m not forcing anything, not trying to be who I’m not. I’m just sticking to what I know how to do. That’s pretty much my approach.”
If Kuminga and the Warriors don’t reach an agreement by the deadline, the promising forward will become a restricted free agent next offseason. But that wouldn’t impede Kuminga’s possibilities of becoming a longtime Warrior, as general manager Mike Dunleavy and Co. could match any team's offer in free agency.
For now, though, Kuminga has his sights set on greatness, not his upcoming payday.
