The Warriors Have Been Engaging in Positive Dialogues with Kuminga and Moody Regarding Contract Extensions, Hoping to Retain Both Players

On September 27, during the preseason press conference, Golden State Warriors General Manager Mike Dunleavy expressed his hope to keep Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody with the team long-term. On Thursday, Dunleavy told reporters that the team has been having “positive dialogues” with the players regarding rookie contract extensions.

Kuminga and Moody will both become restricted free agents after the 2024-25 season.

The above signals that at some point, the Warriors will fully transition from the dynasty team that won four championships and made six NBA Finals appearances between 2015 and 2022. This process has already made significant progress as the team did not renew Klay Thompson’s contract for the 2024-25 season.

While Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are still on the team, the supporting cast around them has changed considerably compared to the championship peak years of the Warriors.

Kuminga (21) and Moody (22) are young prospects who are expected to be key parts of the Warriors’ future, as the team moves away from relying heavily on veterans. Therefore, it is no surprise that Dunleavy is seeking to keep them beyond this season.

Kuminga is expected to play a crucial role this season, following his breakout performance in the 2023-24 season.

He averaged 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game, shooting 52.9% from the field. Only Curry and Thompson had higher scoring averages than him. It would not be surprising if this young forward takes on an even bigger role and continues to improve in the future.

Moody has not reached that level yet, but he also delivered his best performance in the 2023-24 season, averaging 8.1 points and 3.0 rebounds per game, shooting 46.2% from the field and 36% from three-point range.

If he can also take the next step, the Warriors could still surprise in the competitive Western Conference while focusing on the future, and have the potential to contend for a playoff spot.