He demands the same salary as two NBA All-Stars: Warriors stuck facing Kuminga’s XXL ambition

The contractual situation of Jonathan Kuminga with the Golden State Warriors continues to stall, and recent revelations partly explain this deadlock. The 22-year-old forward believes he’s on the same level as Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes, his 2021 Draft classmates, and wants to be compensated accordingly.

Jonathan Kuminga reportedly believes he’s on the same level as Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes, per @ronkroichick

« He apparently thinks he’s at the Cade Cunningham–Scottie Barnes level, where he should get that type of contract. It’s really a quandary. I think it’s bad for… pic.twitter.com/jftuoINkPU

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 17, 2025

Salary demands modeled after his Draft peers

According to Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle, Kuminga believes he deserves a contract similar to those signed by Cunningham and Barnes. « He apparently thinks he’s at the Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes level, where he should get that type of contract, » a league source revealed. « It’s really a quandary. I think it’s bad for the Warriors and bad for him. »

The two mentioned players recently extended for $270 million over five years, or about $54 million per season. A considerable sum that the Warriors don’t seem willing to offer, with their current proposals not exceeding $20 million annually according to latest information.

This evaluation gap creates a major impasse in negotiations. Kuminga, selected 7th in the 2021 Draft, has seen five of the six players chosen before him already sign their lucrative extensions, except for Josh Giddey who is in a similar situation.

Performance gap justifies Warriors’ caution

Despite his confidence in his potential, Kuminga hasn’t yet reached the level of his comparisons. Cunningham, first pick of the 2021 Draft, just completed an exceptional season averaging 26.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 9.1 assists, earning his first All-Star selection and leading Detroit to the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

Barnes, meanwhile, quickly established himself as the cornerstone of the Toronto Raptors after winning Rookie of the Year. With 19.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 5.8 assists last season, he was also an All-Star in 2023-2024.

Kuminga, however, shows more modest statistics with 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists per game last season, mainly coming off the bench. Although he has progressed since his difficult beginnings, rising from 9 points average in his first two seasons to 16 points in 2023-2024, he has never been an All-Star nor carried a team like his peers.

According to Anthony Slater of ESPN, Kuminga refuses to sign a two-year, $45 million contract with team option, fearing being used as a « pawn » in future transactions. This mistrust further complicates negotiations with a franchise that might be tempted to trade him if no agreement is reached.