If there were two players fans would say the Golden State Warriors are yanking around, it would be Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody.
Both were drafted in 2021, seventh and 14th overall, respectively. Kuminga had bypassed college, choosing to test out the G League Ignite program instead. Moody was fresh off of a SEC Rookie of the Year at Arkansas.
Upon entering the NBA, both had already shown plenty of potential, hence their status as lottery picks. Nonetheless, those flashes became moments in the NBA. They just couldn’t gather much momentum, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr focusing on their weaknesses more than their strengths. Fast forward three seasons, and the duo has started in 97 regular season contests combined, both getting under 22 minutes per game.
Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody Talking Contracts
Ultimately, ESPN insider Shams Charania reporting that the Warriors and Kuminga “are still far apart in extension conversations is no surprise.
“I think there’s a real belief that this could play out into the season and into restricted free agency…,” Charania adds. “Jonathan Kuminga wants to bet on himself and try to be as close to a max contract type of player…”
.@ShamsCharania with the latest on the Warriors’ contract negotiations with Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody 👀 pic.twitter.com/V4N7KYN052
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 18, 2024
Somewhat shockingly, “there is a window for (Moody) to get a deal done (before Monday’s deadline). That is a much more likely deal in Golden State… They believe he can have a real rotation role and if he does, they do want to extend him.”
Moses Moody
Entering the league as a guard in the 3-and-D mold, Moody wasn’t quite consistent. However, he’s grown more comfortable in the Warriors motion offense, which has culminated in him having an eye-opening preseason this year.
In this time, he’s been the perfect soldier in the sense that he just accepts his role. He’s also particularly fond of Draymond Green, a volatile but valuable member of the team’s core. Factoring in his intangibles, the 22-year-old is someone who would be easy to work with in contract negotiations.
It remains to be seen if he’ll be rewarded with a rotation role. Still, the Warriors have a lot of guard depth and probably should lean into it, playing small.
Jonathan Kuminga
Kuminga’s situation is much more complicated. He says the right things publicly, presenting himself as a humble team player. That being said, he clearly envisions himself as a star player, not just a starter.
Kerr has started to give Kuminga more chances to prove that he is. However, Kerr’s fixation on Kuminga’s outside jumper is steeped in philosophies that are unlikely to change. As a result, Kuminga’s physical gifts and ability to score one-on-one are feel undervalued by the team.
This is where it gets dicey though. Though the three-ball is emphasized in the analytics age, some teams aren’t hyper-fixated on every starter being a stupendous shooter. Teams like those could see Kuminga in a much better light.
On top of that, multiple rebuilding teams are projected to have upwards of $45 million in cap space next summer. Any number of them could choose to present Kuminga an offer sheet that forced the Warriors into a tough decision.
