SAN FRANCISCO — Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency has been set in motion.
The Warriors tendered the $7.9 million qualifying offer to the 22-year-old forward, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reported on Saturday morning.
If Kuminga accepts the qualifying offer as expected, that would allow other teams to negotiate contracts with the former lottery pick starting on Monday.
if he signs a much more lucrative offer sheet with another team, the Warriors have the right to match it and retain Kuminga.
Golden State could also facilitate a sign-and-trade with a team interested in Kuminga, which would allow the Warriors to possibly bring in multiple contracts that are equivalent to the value of Kuminga’s new deal.
The Warriors did not sign Kuminga to an extension last offseason, with the forward reportedly declining a 5-year, $150 million deal.
After a hot start to the season, Kuminga missed 31 games with a severe ankle injury. Once he came back, Kuminga’s playing time was diminished as coach Steve Kerr prioritized lineups featuring the newly-added Jimmy Butler.
“I did it here and there, but it was never a consistent role, a consistent role given to me,” Kuminga told The Athletic earlier this week. “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.”
After being a healthy scratch to end the regular season, and during a few first-round playoff games vs. Houston, he scored 18, 30, 23 and 26 points in the final four games of the Minnesota series after Curry was lost for the round with a hamstring injury.
