Cade Cunningham Draws Surprising Mention with Warriors Player

The Golden State Warriors haven’t quite figured out their Jonathan Kuminga situation.

At this point, Kuminga’s future is unclear. The Warriors seem to want him back, but the two sides can’t agree on a deal. Golden State has been rumored to have had conversations about potentially trading him, but there hasn’t been a lot of movement on that front either.

There’s a stalemate out in California, and as the Kuminga saga continues, Cade Cunningham’s name recently popped up, as Kuminga reportedly believes he should be getting paid similarly to the Detroit Pistons All-Star.

“He apparently thinks he’s at the Cade Cunningham-Scottie Barnes level, where he should get that type of contract,” one league source told the SF Chronicle. “… It’s really a quandary. I think it’s bad for the Warriors and bad for him.”

Cade Cunningham, Jonathan Kuming — Jan 5, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) drives to the basket ahead of Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Kuminga entered the NBA in 2021. The same year the Pistons selected Cunningham with the top pick was the same year the Warriors picked up Kuminga out of the NBA G League Ignite program.

The former five-star recruit gained a lot of pre-draft hype in 2021, and he struggled to live up to it right away.

Through his first two seasons with the Warriors, Kuminga averaged nine points and three rebounds. He upped his game in 2023-2024 by producing 16 points per game, along with five rebounds and two assists. He made 53 percent of his shots from the floor.

Last year, Kuminga was viewed as a potential trade candidate out of Golden State since his contract was set to expire. He started in just 10 games and played 24 minutes per matchup.

May 12, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) is fouled while attempting a shot between Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) and center Rudy Gobert (27) in the fourth quarter during game four of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The veteran found success in a bench role with 15 points, five rebounds, and two assists per game, but he clearly hasn’t reached the level of Barnes or Cunningham with the Warriors.

Kuminga’s chances of becoming the face of the Warriors were always slim. The same can’t be said about Barnes and Cunningham, who have been recognized as their team’s franchise players. Barnes in an All-Star with 275 starts under his belt.

As for Cunningham, he’s started all 208 games he played and recently picked up his first All-Star nod this past season. Last summer, Cunningham signed a five-year extension, worth a reported $224 million. Barnes landed a similar deal one year ago as well.

If Kuminga wants something in that ballpark, he might be stuck waiting a while. The young veteran certainly has value, but he hasn’t proven to be a franchise cornerstone just yet.

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