Re: Jonathan Kuminga's Agent Talks Qualifying Offer, Options, No-Trade Clause

[RealGM Wiretap]

Jonathan Kuminga's agent Aaron Turner made a recent appearance on ESPN's The Hoop Collective. During that appearance, Turner talked about how Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors have been able to find common ground on a new contract. Turner said that Kuminga isn't going to give the Warriors team-control over where he plays, because the player would like to pick his spot.

"There’s a lot of upside," Turner said. "He wants to pick where he wants to go. So, the QO (signing the Qualifying Offer) is real for sure."

Kuminga can sign his $7.9 million qualifying offer. That would put him under contract with the Warriors for next season, while Kuminga would have a full no-trade clause for that one season.

Turner understands that Golden State has apron and potential hard cap concerns that have them offering a lower salary than Kuminga would like. In exchange, Kuminga and his reps want player control on the back end of the contract.

"If they want to win now, if you want a guy that’s happy and treated fairly who is a big part of this team, we believe, moving forward, you give him the player option," Turner said about his client's contract desires. "You do lose a little of that trade value. But if it’s about the here and now, you give him that. You don’t get a perfect deal, but you get a pretty good deal, and he gets to feel respected about what he gets, and we all move on and worry about winning, helping Steph (Curry)."

Turner added that Kuminga knows that he's not getting the same kind of long-term salary that recent peers have gotten. Because of that, Turner and Kuminga are insistent that they get a player option in a deal with Golden State. The Kuminga camp also knows that there will be teams with cap space in the 2026 offseason, and that the young forward has already drawn interest from the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns this offseason.

"Two years from now, if you want to keep him, you’ll have his Bird rights (on a deal with a player option). You treat him good, and you show him the plan, then maybe you keep him," Turner said. "(Giving Kuminga a player option) is not perfect, but I don’t think anybody can get everything they really want. If you ask JK, he wants Jalen Green's deal. He’s not getting that. He wants Jalen Johnson's deal. You’re not getting that. If the Warriors, we feel like, pick the front end, if that number needs to be lower to stay under a second apron, (then it's a) player option (on the final season). Or if it’s about really controlling the back end of the deal, move the number up, shake your roster up and you can have a team option. Or, the hybrid model, let him keep his no-trade clause."

Via The Hoop Collective/ESPN

[Pickled Prunes]

Two years from now, if you want to keep him, you’ll have his Bird rights (on a deal with a player option). You treat him good, and you show him the plan, then maybe you keep him," Turner said.

This is how agents talk about multiple time all stars and MVP candidates... not players that couldn't hold a starting job, even when the roster was depleted due to injuries.

If you ask JK, he wants Jalen Green's deal. He’s not getting that. He wants Jalen Johnson's deal. You’re not getting that.

Jalen Johnson? The dude that just averaged 19/10/5 and has his team wondering if they should build around him or their all-nba PG? Yeah, Kuminga is not on his level!
Jalen Green? The dude that just got traded because his contract outweighed his effectiveness? Nope, Kuminga in not on his level either!


The bottom line is, the market sets the price, not the player. When the player tries to set the price it leads to uncomfortable moments... like this one!

[FrodoFraggins]

Just take the damn QO and go somewhere else the following season. Kerr doesn't want him anyway.

[pushfloater]

Warriors deserve this

[the_process]

JK and his agent are stupid for not just taking the 3-75.

[Future Coach]

Two years from now, if you want to keep him, you’ll have his Bird rights (on a deal with a player option). You treat him good, and you show him the plan, then maybe you keep him," Turner said.

This is how agents talk about multiple time all stars and MVP candidates... not players that couldn't hold a starting job, even when the roster was depleted due to injuries.

If you ask JK, he wants Jalen Green's deal. He’s not getting that. He wants Jalen Johnson's deal. You’re not getting that.

Jalen Johnson? The dude that just averaged 19/10/5 and has his team wondering if they should build around him or their all-nba PG? Yeah, Kuminga is not on his level!
Jalen Green? The dude that just got traded because his contract outweighed his effectiveness? Nope, Kuminga in not on his level either!


The bottom line is, the market sets the price, not the player. When the player tries to set the price it leads to uncomfortable moments... like this one!

His agent shouldn't be talking to the press. He's not doing JK any favors with this

[dirkdiggler4177]

Two years from now, if you want to keep him, you’ll have his Bird rights (on a deal with a player option). You treat him good, and you show him the plan, then maybe you keep him," Turner said.

This is how agents talk about multiple time all stars and MVP candidates... not players that couldn't hold a starting job, even when the roster was depleted due to injuries.

If you ask JK, he wants Jalen Green's deal. He’s not getting that. He wants Jalen Johnson's deal. You’re not getting that.

Jalen Johnson? The dude that just averaged 19/10/5 and has his team wondering if they should build around him or their all-nba PG? Yeah, Kuminga is not on his level!
Jalen Green? The dude that just got traded because his contract outweighed his effectiveness? Nope, Kuminga in not on his level either!


The bottom line is, the market sets the price, not the player. When the player tries to set the price it leads to uncomfortable moments... like this one!

I think the reason why he did not start is that Kerr is struggling with players like him. We think Kerr is this all-time great coach, but let's be honest, he has a very specific offense with two of the best shooters of all time. Kuminga is the complete opposite of the type of player Kerr wants.

I have this one rule if a young player is actually better than what it shows, and that is by looking at their field goal percentage. If they are shooting above 50% in their early years and not getting minutes, playing time etc., it usually means they are a lot better than what you think. You see it with, for example, Brunson, who was first held back by Dennis Smith Jr, who had a bad shooting percentage and then Luka. When he finally got his chance he was killing.

I'm not saying Kuminga will be good, I think he lacks too many fundamentals, but GSW is ruining their relationship with the only young player to save a small amout of money.

[Wildcat]

GS tried to tank his value for a low ball deal. But WTF is his agent smoking over here. On principle alone, GS should tell them to kick rocks.

[Pickled Prunes]

Two years from now, if you want to keep him, you’ll have his Bird rights (on a deal with a player option). You treat him good, and you show him the plan, then maybe you keep him," Turner said.

This is how agents talk about multiple time all stars and MVP candidates... not players that couldn't hold a starting job, even when the roster was depleted due to injuries.

If you ask JK, he wants Jalen Green's deal. He’s not getting that. He wants Jalen Johnson's deal. You’re not getting that.

Jalen Johnson? The dude that just averaged 19/10/5 and has his team wondering if they should build around him or their all-nba PG? Yeah, Kuminga is not on his level!
Jalen Green? The dude that just got traded because his contract outweighed his effectiveness? Nope, Kuminga in not on his level either!


The bottom line is, the market sets the price, not the player. When the player tries to set the price it leads to uncomfortable moments... like this one!

I think the reason why he did not start is that Kerr is struggling with players like him. We think Kerr is this all-time great coach, but let's be honest, he has a very specific offense with two of the best shooters of all time. Kuminga is the complete opposite of the type of player Kerr wants.

I have this one rule if a young player is actually better than what it shows, and that is by looking at their field goal percentage. If they are shooting above 50% in their early years and not getting minutes, playing time etc., it usually means they are a lot better than what you think. You see it with, for example, Brunson, who was first held back by Dennis Smith Jr, who had a bad shooting percentage and then Luka. When he finally got his chance he was killing.

I'm not saying Kuminga will be good, I think he lacks too many fundamentals, but GSW is ruining their relationship with the only young player to save a small amout of money.

Kuminga has particularly bad advanced stats from a team perspective. Yes, he can put the ball in the hole. But the team is less efficient on both ends when Kuminga is on the floor.

And no, I do not believe Kerr is an all time great coach. He inherited an amazing situation and has a great relationship with Steph, who is one of the most low-maintenance MVP's of all time. But Kuminga's issue is that he doesn't make the correct read on either side of the ball. He stops the ball on offense and he misses assignments on defense. It is not Kerr's job to run a simpler offense just so that Kuminga can look successful. Should Kerr create an offense built around Kuminga's tendency to force a shot almost every time he touches it? As I mentioned earlier, Kuminga has played over 6,000 minutes under Kerr, and had countless hours of practice time. If he doesn't get it by now...

Brnson is a bad comp. Brunson see's the floor and makes the right reads, but he is a defensive liability. Luka does all the things Brunson does but better and he is also a defensive liability. If Luka and Brunson are on the floor together, only one of them can have the ball. The other will be standing and watching, because neither does much off ball, and the team D will suck. Brunson was never going to break out in DAL. Brunson has shown what he can do in NYK, but he still tries to do too much himself. Either way, he is a far better decision maker than Kuminga.

In GSW, there is no positional overlap with Kuminga like the one with Brunson in DAL. They would have loved to have Kuminga step into that starting role. In fact, they needed him to. He simply can not play his part. His FG% has to do with the team's spacing and his athleticism. Go check his shot chart. The only place he shot above league average was within 5 feet of the rim. He just isn't very good.
https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/jonathan-kuminga-shot-chart