Jonathan Kuminga’s smile said it all.
Days after ending a tense contract standoff that had cast a shadow over the Golden State Warriors’ offseason, the 23-year-old forward looked relaxed — even joyful — as he danced following the team’s 111–103 preseason win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
“Happiness, joy, peace — which is surprising,” Andscape’s Marc J. Spears said Monday on ESPN’s NBA Today. “I’ve been around a while; I remember Allen Iverson being unhappy in Memphis, Jimmy Butler in Miami, Kevin Durant… I saw Kuminga dancing after the game. He told me he was at peace. I think the guys — Steph, Draymond [Green], Jimmy, and Buddy Hield — have all given him support. That helped him a lot.”
Kuminga’s renewed energy was the first encouraging sign for the Warriors after a summer filled with uncertainty. The young forward had missed the first two days of training camp as his agent, Aaron Turner, negotiated a long-term deal before ultimately agreeing to a two-year, $48.5 million contract with a 15% trade kicker — a structure that gives the Warriors a $22.5 million tradable contract after Jan. 15 and more guaranteed money for Kuminga than the $7.9 million qualifying offer.
Support From Warriors’ Veterans
According to ClutchPoints insider Brett Siegel, Golden State’s veteran core was vocal in their desire to keep Kuminga on board.
“All three stars — Steph, Draymond, and Jimmy Butler — wanted Kuminga back,” Siegel reported in September. “His athleticism, durability, and production can’t be replicated. If lost, his absence would be felt throughout the 82-game season.”
That backing has clearly resonated with Kuminga, who has embraced a more grounded approach after a turbulent few months.
“He comes from a family from Congo that, he said, was never a stressful family — that’s not in his DNA,” Spears said. “Regardless of whether he’s at Golden State or somewhere else, he feels like he’s going to figure it out. But at Golden State, he said he’s committed and wants to win a championship there. It didn’t sound like somebody who was trying to force his way out.”
Impressive Return to Action
In his return to the court, Kuminga made the most of limited minutes. Coming off the bench, he tallied five points on 2-of-3 shooting, six rebounds, four assists, and one block in just 15 minutes. The Warriors outscored the Lakers by seven points while he was on the floor.
“He also said it was important for him to be very good on both sides of the court,” Spears noted.
While many fans focused on Kuminga’s play, Stephen Curry downplayed the drama and emphasized a team-first mentality.
“I’m not going to overanalyze every minute he’s out there,” Curry said. “It’s not good for anybody. It’s just, can we win? Can he be a part of that, no matter how it looks? I’m excited for him to get his legs underneath him and keep building.”
Kerr Sees Progress, Not Distraction
Warriors coach Steve Kerr echoed Curry’s sentiment, praising Kuminga’s adaptability despite missing early camp sessions.
“I thought he played well,” Kerr said. “Obviously, he missed the first couple of days of practice, so he was a little bit behind on some of the stuff we were doing. But JK made a couple of great passes in transition. In the second and third quarters, the game really flowed for us — our transition and spacing were great. That’s what we’ve been working on all week.”
The tension of the offseason now behind him, Kuminga appears poised to focus on basketball — and the Warriors, after months of speculation, are happy to have him back in rhythm.
You Won’t Believe What Kuminga Did After Warriors Preseason Win