Jonathan Kuminga's Warriors future at stake as key date approaches

The Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga have until the Oct. 21 deadline to agree on a rookie scale extension. If they don't reach a deal, the fourth-year forward becomes a restricted free agent next year. More importantly, he becomes a player who could be available in trades.

Earlier this week, Danny Emerman of The Mercury News reported that the two sides "aren't close to striking a deal," per multiple sources familiar with the situation.

That the Warriors haven't laid out the red carpet for Kuminga suggests they don't truly believe in him as a future cornerstone. If they let the extension deadline bypass without a deal, the Kuminga situation could be an unnecessary distraction for the rest of the 2024-25 season, with the general perception that he could be on the chopping block.

To make matters worse, longtime Warriors star Draymond Green has placed undue pressure on Kuminga, suggesting that the season would be "a failure" if the 22-year-old fails to make an All-Star team.

With all due respect to Kuminga, his chances of making an All-Star team are not promising. In a loaded Western Conference, the chances of Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren and Alperen Sengun becoming first-time All-Stars are considerably higher. Furthermore, former All-Stars such as Zion Williamson, Lauri Markkanen, Brandon Ingram, De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis didn't make the cut last year and will be determined to return to the annual exhibition game.

The Warriors might be better off trading Kuminga before his trade value drops. The last thing they need is a disgruntled asset who reportedly has had a soured relationship with coach Steve Kerr.