Jonathan Kuminga has made his feelings clear on Steph Curry as Warriors star rejects contract because of one clause
Jonathan Kuminga appears to have made his feelings clear on Steph Curry after the Golden State Warriors star has reportedly turned down a new deal.
Kuminga has been at the Warriors since being selected in the 2021 NBA draft in the first round and was the seventh overall pick.
Since being with the Warriors, the 22-year-old has become NBA Champion in 2022, but Kuminga's rookie contract expires this summer and he is a restricted free agent.
Kuminga is understood to have rejected the Warriors' offer of a new deal, remaining on the RTA list instead of leaving his destiny in the hands of the team.
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As per Warriors Wire via Yahoo! Sports, Kuminga is reported to have rejected the fresh terms which asked him to waive a no-trade clause that would be pre-built into the contract under the terms of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.
His future remains unclear and where he will be playing his basketball following the conclusion of his current deal.
NBA legend Curry is Kuminga's team-mate as things stand at the Warriors.
Curry has become an NBA champion on four occasions in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022, the latter date being part of the same roster as Kuminga.
Curry has also been named the NBA's Most Valuable Player on two occasions and the NBA Finals MVP once.
Curry himself believes Kuminga has grown as a player and wished his team-mate well, whether he remains at the Warriors or not.
He said: "He's grown a lot. He's been dealt a very tough hand, to be honest.
"Proud of the way he’s handled it. Hope the future is bright for him, whether it’s here or whether it’s wherever."
And earlier this year in April, Curry leapt to the defence of Kuminga in the face of criticism.
He said: "I think we need to just let this guy play basketball.
"We don’t have to have a declaration after every game. We don’t have to be in a situation where we are judging every minute he’s out there."
Kuminga has previously spoken on his future and admitted it could be away from the Warriors.
Speaking to The Athletic, he said: "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."
Though Kuminga did not name any others, it could be argued that Curry is 'blocking' his path to being that player that carries the team, given his standing and status.
And should he end up leaving the Warriors and moving to pastures new, he might be able to fulfil his wish of being that main player on a team.
Topics: NBA, Steph Curry , Basketball
John McDougall