As other NBA teams fill out their rosters, the Warriors remain in limbo, paralyzed by a standoff with their 22-year-old restricted free agent. The Golden State has backed itself into a corner, and Jonathan Kuminga might be the one holding the final piece. The outcome threatens to ripple across the entire roster, stalling key veteran signings and even putting the team at risk of violating league rules.

Golden State has just nine guaranteed contracts locked in for the 2025–26 season. That’s five short of a full 14-man standard roster, which every NBA team is required to maintain. For now, the Warriors are operating within the league’s short-term flexibility window, but that clock is ticking. If they don’t reach the 14-player minimum within two weeks of the regular season tipping off, Adam Silver’s office will come calling with penalties.

The franchise has a two-year, $45 million offer on the table with a team option in Year 2, but there’s a catch. The team wants Kuminga to waive the no-trade clause that comes standard with restricted free agent contracts of that type. However, Kuminga isn’t biting. As ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported, the forward feels like a “pawn” and is hesitant to sign a deal he believes could turn him into a midseason trade chip. Instead, he’s prepared to take the $7.8 million qualifying offer and test unrestricted free agency in 2026.

If Kuminga takes the team’s offer, the Warriors stay around $14.9 million below the second luxury tax apron, enough flexibility to bring in Al Horford on the full $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception and sign the remaining four players to minimum deals. But if Kuminga opts for the qualifying offer, that cap space increases slightly, giving Golden State marginally more maneuverability, but with zero long-term security on a young cornerstone.

No matter how you slice it, the stalemate has halted the front office.The NBA’s rules are firm, teams must maintain at least 14 standard players, and two-way contracts don’t count. For brief periods, especially around the trade deadline, the league allows teams to dip to 13, but only for two weeks. Once that grace period ends, the league can step in and force a signing or impose sanctions. That means if this drags into October, and the Warriors haven’t resolved Kuminga’s contract or filled out the roster, Adam Silver could be compelled to take action.

Five waiting in line

While Golden State’s front office waits, so do five key veterans. According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, Al Horford is in “full communication” with the Warriors and expected to sign once the Kuminga situation is resolved. The 39-year-old is reportedly in line for a two-year deal with a player option and the full taxpayer mid-level exception, a deal that shows clear organizational commitment.

The irony is hard to miss. Golden State is willing to give a player option to Horford, who’s entering his 19th season, but not to Kuminga, a 22-year-old who has spent four years with the franchise. That discrepancy is reportedly fueling Kuminga’s resistance. Nonetheless, if Horford agrees to sign the deal, that would bring the Warriors to ten guaranteed contracts. From there, four more players are expected to fill out the roster on minimum deals.

Among them is Seth Curry, who shot 45.6% from deep with Charlotte last season and could slot in as a 15-minute spark off the bench. De’Anthony Melton, previously signed by the Warriors before a torn ACL and trade disrupted his 2024-25 campaign, is reportedly looking to complete the arc of a comeback story in Golden State. The front office clearly values his versatility and defense alongside Curry.

Meanwhile, the 2023 Sixth Man of the Year, Malcolm Brogdon, is also expected to sign once Kuminga’s future is clarified. Brogdon averaged 12.7 points and 4.1 assists last season despite dealing with ankle issues. Injuries are a concern, but his floor-general ability is something the Warriors need behind Steph. Lastly, Gary Payton II is expected to return. A fan-favorite and elite on-ball defender, Payton has remained in touch with the team and is reportedly waiting for a formal offer once the roster logjam clears.

Although each of these players could have already been signed by now, but the Warriors can’t finalize any of these deals without knowing how much room they have to operate under the apron. And they won’t know that until Kuminga makes a decision. The Warriors are risking free agent patience, player morale, and possibly league penalties, all while trying to maintain flexibility for a roster that still needs five more pieces.