Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody Contract Extensions Eyed by Warriors Amid Trade Rumors

Coming off the best seasons of their still-young careers, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody are eligible to sign long-term extensions with the Golden State Warriors this offseason.

Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. told reporters on Friday the team would like to work out new contracts for both players.

One indication of how highly the Warriors view Kuminga is their asking price for him in a trade. HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported last month that Golden State would only trade him as part of a package for an All-NBA player.

After being frustrated with his role early in the 2023-24 season, Kuminga grew into the player that Golden State hoped he would be when he was selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 draft.

Kuminga averaged 18.9 points on 54.2 percent shooting and 5.4 rebounds per game over his final 40 appearances. He is eligible to sign a five-year extension worth up to $224 million this offseason.

Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors and Franz Wagner of the Orlando Magic are two players from the 2021 draft class with Kuminga who have already agreed to rookie max extensions with their teams.

Kuminga hasn’t had the sustained level of success that Barnes and Wagner have had over the past three seasons, so the Warriors will likely try to get him at a price lower than the max. His camp can legitimately argue that how he played down the stretch last season was as good as either Barnes or Wagner have had in their careers.

An extension for Moody wouldn’t cost nearly as much as what Kuminga could be seeking. B/R’s Eric Pincus wrote in March that Moody’s camp could pursue a deal in the range of $11-13 million per season.

Moody, the No. 14 pick in the 2021 draft, averaged career highs in scoring (8.1 points per game) and rebounding (3.0) in 66 appearances last season.

The Warriors have been able to reset their cap this offseason after losing Klay Thompson and Chris Paul. Extending both Kuminga and Moody would put a dent in their cap projections beyond the 2024-25 season, but waiting to sign them could alienate two players who could be long-term contributors as Stephen Curry enters the final years of his prime.

It’s a difficult road to navigate, though Dunleavy is at least ready to explore what it will take to ensure Kuminga and Moody are Warriors for years to come.

As things currently stand, Kuminga and Moody are under contract for the 2024-25 season and will be restricted free agents next offseason.