The Golden State Warriors still handle the Jonathank Minga Saga that continued throughout the offseason. The solution may come later, but Kendrick Perkins hopes the Warriors front office knows they will struggle if he stays with the team.
Jonathan Cuminga is a promising player who has shown his potential over four seasons with the Golden State Warriors. Despite his potential, Cuminga has not received the biggest opportunity under head coach Steve Kerr.
This led Kuminga to search for an exit. Unfortunately for him, he is a restricted free agent in the 2025 offseason, so the Warriors wanted something in return if they went elsewhere. They recognize his potential, but they do not see him as a good long-term fit with the warrior.
With constant rumours throughout the 2025 offseason, many thought it was time for the Warriors to drive him away. The King of Sacramento was a favorite to land him, but rumors were constantly being shot down.
The Warriors are one of the most successful teams of the 21st century. Despite this success, they are still dealing with the locker room issues. The most notable case was when Draymond Green punched Jordan Pool.
Though not as hostile as its environment, Kuminga playing for the team may present some issues. ESPN analyst and former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins feels that Kuminga could be a problem for the Warriors. The locker room player wants him to come back, but that can be a serious problem.
They want to compete with the veteran core for a championship, and they don’t want the issues that veil their goals. Perkins points to some valid points as it could be a long-standing issue for the roster.
“They don’t want you. They don’t care about you. If they did, you wouldn’t go through this. And it started last season. Steve Kerr showed you how he felt about you when you got out of the rotation,” Perkins said today in ESPN’s NBA.
“Looking at this situation, he’ll go out there and play individual basketball, so if he goes back to $7.9 million, it’s going to cause confusion in the locker room.
“So, at the end of the day, there’s one person playing agenda basketball. It’s a problem because you’re probably going to have a team led by three Vetts, maybe three future Hall of Fame, lead the team and preach basketball without an agenda.”
Perkins claims that trade will be the best move for the Cuminga and the Warriors. They explored a deal with King Sacramento, but it continues to collapse. With just a month left before the 2025-26 season, Kuminga appears to be with the Warriors.
It may hurt your team in the long run, but it could lead to more transactions. The Warriors want to break up with him for a better package in return.
Kuminga is a promising player and can pitch him in deals with other teams. But it’s challenging, so they have to identify his value so they can find the right package and fit in the Warriors locker room.
If Kuminga gets the move of hope, he would like to introduce his potential. He is only 22 years old, but he already has multiple seasons with scores of over 15 points per game. It could continue to pop out as he gains more opportunities outside the Warriors system. That could be his main selling point, and the Warriors may find a solution to this never-ending saga.