Jonathan Kuminga's Agent Reportedly Upset Warriors With Media Rant

The Golden State Warriors were finally able to resolve the Jonathan Kuminga situation, agreeing to a two-year, $48.5 million deal with a second-year team option with the young forward. While there were signs pointing toward Kuminga taking the qualifying offer, he opted for the bigger payday with Golden State and still has the opportunity to hit free agency in 2026.

However, in the lead-up to the eventual deal, Kuminga's agent, Aaron Turner, appeared on several podcasts and radio shows to discuss the then ongoing negotiations with the Warriors. This included touching on contract and role desires, as well as what he thinks his client's outlook looks like. According to a recent report, that media tour was not well received in Golden State.

Turner's Action Frustrated Warriors Personnel

Breaking: Ending a summer-long stalemate, Jonathan Kuminga has agreed to a two-year, $48.5 million contract to return to the Golden State Warriors, agent Aaron Turner told ESPN. The deal has a team option designed for the contract to be ripped up and renegotiated next summer. pic.twitter.com/Xnklx7O0DD
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 30, 2025

In a recent piece by The Athletic's Nick Friedell details that Steve Kerr's answers to the media recently were reflective of how the organization felt over the Kuminga negotiation and how Turner handled it.

"Kerr’s answers, and his desire not to continue discussing the Kuminga situation, represented the feelings of plenty of Warriors staffers who were never really worried about how the situation would ultimately be finalized, but more annoyed that it was still lingering over everything in the first place," Friedell wrote.

Aaron Turner (Jonathan Kuminga’s agent):

“The Warriors are the organization that drafted him so of course he’d love to stay with one team his whole career…He wants a bigger role. That’s not really a secret.” @957thegame pic.twitter.com/0z5xkZNbek
— SleeperWarriors (@SleeperWarriors) September 19, 2025

A negotiation that went on for months, it's clear Golden State wasn't pleased with all the theatrics around it and would have rather just had the focus been on bringing Kuminga back.

"The decision by Aaron Turner, Kuminga’s agent, to go on a media tour in recent weeks while negotiating publicly in hopes of landing a better offer for Kuminga, irritated some with the organization, according to league sources," Friedell added.

The Kings are expected to pursue a trade for Jonathan Kuminga during the 2025-26 season, per @DALHoopsJournal

(https://t.co/PC2muLRUGF) pic.twitter.com/snIrZRQPmC
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) October 3, 2025

Given the circumstances around Kuminga and his return, especially with a trade likely to be explored at the start of 2026, the additional pressure that Turner put on the negotiation through the media tour and just what he said in general didn't seem to bode well within the organization.

With the two-year, $48.5 million deal Kuminga is on, he doesn't have the no-trade clause that he would have had if he had taken the qualifying offer. Therefore, if the Warriors are truly upset with Turner, it could backfire on them by Golden State sending Kuminga to a destination he doesn't prefer.

Regardless, the hope is that, regardless of whether Kuminga is traded or not, he can contribute positively to the rotation until his future is ironed out.

Turner's Action Frustrated Warriors Personnel

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