As he prepares for restricted free agency, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga is training at workout facilities in Cleveland and preparing for the 2025/26 season in the hopes of having a more significant role, wherever he ends up, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. As Slater writes, Kuminga has “long held a dream” of becoming a star who can lead a team and drive its offense.
“That’s what’s been on my mind,” Kuminga told Slater. “Things take time, but I feel like I’m at the point where that has to be my priority, to just be one of the guys a team relies on. Aiming to be an All-Star. Multiple times. Aiming to be great. … Wherever I’m going to be at, it don’t matter if it’s the Warriors or if it’s anywhere else, it’s something I want. I want to see what I could do. I know I got it. So I want to really see. I’ve never got that chance.”
As Kuminga notes, he hasn’t consistently gotten the opportunity to play a starring role in Golden State. His minutes and his role have fluctuated during four seasons with the Warriors, all the way up until this spring — he was out of the rotation at the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs before averaging 24.3 points per game in the final four contests of Golden State’s season with Stephen Curry sidelined due to a hamstring injury.
“I did it here and there, but it was never a consistent role, a consistent role given to me,” Kuminga said. “It only happens five games on, 10 games off. I want it to be a consistent role. Because I know what I got. I know what I could bring. I know how much work I put in. I know I’m dedicated to this game, how much I love the game.”
Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. spoke this week about the need to more firmly establish a role for Kuminga if he returns, and Golden State should be in the driver’s seat during his free agency process, since the 22-year-old will be restricted. Still, there are teams expected to have interest in the former No. 7 overall pick.
Slater confirms previous reporting by stating that the Heat have “legitimate” interest in Kuminga after missing out on Kevin Durant. A league source confirms to Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald that Miami is eyeing Kuminga, though the Herald duo says the team is considering other options too.
Whatever happens with Kuminga in restricted free agency, he’s confident that agent Aaron Turner will find the best outcome for him.
“I trust my people, trust my agent,” Kuminga told Slater. “I want to know more about how this trade stuff goes, how this sign-and-trade goes or how this contract goes. I want to learn more about it. But most of the time I just focus on playing, just working. The better I get, wherever I get my chance, it’s going to show.
“Wherever I go, wherever I’ll be, off the rip, I just want them to be like, ‘Oh, yeah, he deserved what he got. He deserved to be here. He worked hard for it.’ Wherever it is, that’s what I want it to feel like. I want to be great. I feel like I’m capable of being that, capable of doing some special things and I won’t just let it go like that. The only way to get there is just to lock in every single day.”