Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors are ready to turn the page to basketball after a strenuous offseason, but Mike Dunleavy can’t avoid the obvious.
Dunleavy joined 95.7 The Game’s “Steiny & Guru” on Friday and addressed the reality of the aftermath of Kuminga’s contract situation.
“This is the nature of the business, especially in the offseason,” Dunleavy said. “You got to cover news, cover things that are going on. But once camp starts and you jump into basketball, that’s what our guys are focused on. Of course, there are going to be things that come up in the season, rumors and all those things, and the players have to deal with that.
“I think it’s impossible to go through a season without distractions and things like that.”
After a 92-day standoff, Kuminga and the Warriors finally agreed on a two-year, $46.8 million contract with a team option in the second year.
The 23-year-old returned to the Warriors’ practice facility for training camp last week, and all parties involved have downplayed any bad blood or drama between Kuminga and the rest of the team.
While his role within Steve Kerr’s offense still needs to be sorted, Kuminga’s sole focus is doing whatever he can to help the Warriors win. And a few weeks ahead of the 2025-26 season opener, that’s the only vibe Dunleavy has got thus far.
“But I don’t see the JK stuff from what’s happened in the offseason in terms of figuring out a contract for him carrying over into the season,” Dunleavy said. “That would be pretty surprising to me. He’s not that type of guy. We’re moving forward. The rest of the team is moving forward. I haven’t really seen any of those things lingering thus far in camp, even.”
As Dunleavy stated, the team won’t be able to avoid any outside noise. But as long as the Warriors are good within their own walls, Kuminga’s presence should be nothing but a positive for Golden State.
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