The Golden State Warriors are less than two weeks away from training camp and they have still yet to reach an agreement with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga in a lengthy negotiation process. And with the young forward unwilling to sign onto any of the three reported offers from the Warriors, he and his camp are now using their biggest source of leverage to potentially get a deal done: the qualifying offer.
Kuminga’s agent told ESPN that Kuminga is willing to take the qualifying offer, which ties him to Golden State for one year at a $7.9 million price tag and allows him to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason.
“He will take the QO,” agent Aaron Turner said on “The Hoop Collective.” “But if he’s treated fairly, and in our mind that’s flipping [team option] to [player option], he’s back, and then we don’t have to talk about the QO. But the QO is real. It’s something that JK wants to take. It does have upside. You’re not getting traded. You’re going to have unrestricted free agency.”
Jonathan Kuminga contract: Warriors forward rejects latest offer from front office in stalemate, per report
Robby Kalland
The team and player options Turner referenced are the main point of contention in Kuminga’s negotiations. The young forward wants a player option on the back end of his deal, permitting him to bet on himself as a free agent in a more favorable market. The Warriors have thus far been unwilling to include that in his long-term contract, settling only for a team option.
“He wants to pick where he wants to go and the opportunity to be an unrestricted free agent in a way better market,” said Turner. “So the QO is real, for sure. It’s…
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