At the same level as Cunningham! Kuminga is confident he deserves a similar contract; experts analyze where he falls short.

On August 18, Beijing time, Ron Kroichick, a Warriors reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, reported that Kuminga believes he has reached the level of Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes and should receive a contract like theirs.

In the 2021 NBA Draft, five of the six players selected before Kuminga, as well as the player chosen right after him, have already landed big contracts.

Cunningham and Mobley each signed a five-year, $269 million extension. Scottie Barnes and Franz Wagner received contracts worth $224 million over five years. Jalen Suggs (five years, $150 million) and Jalen Green (three years, $105 million) have also secured their financial futures.

This provides a stark backdrop to the stalled negotiations between Kuminga and the Warriors.

Kuminga naturally believes he is on par with these players and should receive a corresponding salary. Perhaps one day he will reach that level, but for now, he faces a less than ideal choice: either accept a two-year, $45 million contract or a one-year, $7.9 million qualifying offer, thus becoming a unrestricted free agent next summer—this is a small temptation.

While this may not be a real crisis, it is certainly not a guaranteed contract worth over $200 million. “Clearly,he feels he has reached the level of Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes and should receive a contract like theirs,” said a league insider when discussing Kuminga, “...this is indeed a tricky issue. I think it’s not beneficial for either the Warriors or him.”

This statement implies that Kuminga may consider accepting the qualifying offer, which is not a common scenario in today’s NBA. Last week, Kuminga expressed on social media that he is willing to bet on himself; perhaps he truly believes this, but both parties still face significant risks.

For Kuminga, the risk lies in potential injuries and a decline in his value. For the Warriors, the risk is enduring a season filled with tension, only to watch this talented young player leave without any compensation.

The 22-year-old Kuminga is almost certain to return to the Golden State Warriors for the new season, as the team is not interested in the trade proposals from the Sacramento Kings and the Phoenix Suns. As that insider stated, “I think he has no choice because the team will not agree to his trade request. For the Warriors, there are no satisfactory sign-and-trade options.”

As Kuminga's restricted free agency saga enters its second month, it may be worth examining the developmental trajectories of the 2021 draft class players. Former NBA head coach Stan Van Gundy—who has been commentating for TNT in recent seasons and is now an analyst for Amazon—discussed several top players from that draft in a recent phone interview.

Van Gundy praised Kuminga's athleticism and his improving efficiency on the offensive end, but also explained why he still lags behind most of the players on this list.

“Cunningham has already proven himself to be the best among that rookie class,” Van Gundy said. “He has consistently been the core of the team, elevated the team’s level, and demonstrated that he is an All-Star caliber player. Kuminga might be compared to Barnes, but the difference between them lies in their ability to create opportunities for teammates, not just in scoring statistics. Barnes is indeed skilled in passing and can contribute in that area for the team.”

“In terms of overall skill set, the closest comparison might be Jalen Green. I understand that if I were Kuminga, I might feel it’s about a lack of opportunities, but Green has already proven himself at a higher level—he is the leading scorer for a 50-win playoff team. Meanwhile, Kuminga is at best a role player. Regardless of whether it’s about opportunities, those players clearly deserve higher salaries.”

Due to limited playing time, Kuminga’s statistics over four seasons pale in comparison to other players from the same draft class. He averages 12.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game in his career; in contrast, Cunningham (22.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 7.4 assists) and Barnes (17.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5 assists) have performed much better.

However, looking only at last season, the gap narrows when considering per 36 minutes statistics. Kuminga averaged 22.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per 36 minutes; Cunningham averaged 26.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 9.4 assists; while Barnes had 21.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 6.4 assists.

Beyond the statistics, Van Gundy also questioned whether Kuminga could provide enough help to the team in areas other than scoring, such as passing and crashing the offensive boards.

“I believe Wagner is a player who can help the team win, and so are Cunningham and Barnes,” Van Gundy said, “but I’m not sure about Kuminga.I haven’t seen him possess the kind of overall game understanding that allows him to integrate well with other players and help the team perform well on both ends of the floor..”

Three months later, Kuminga finds himself in a contract stalemate, much like Giddey of the Chicago Bulls—Giddey was selected one spot ahead of Kuminga in the 2021 draft. The market has cooled, and the salary cap space for restricted free agents is running low.

Kuminga remains an attractive asset for the Warriors; his smooth gliding drives and spectacular dunks on the court are captivating. But the lesson here is that these attributes alone do not guarantee him a lucrative contract.

“He’s only 22 and lacks sufficient experience, so is there potential for improvement in these areas? Absolutely,” Van Gundy said. “If you want him to make an impact on the court, you have to build the offense around him. To me, he has to either become the primary scorer for a weak team or a backup scorer for a strong team.”