In 2021, the Golden State Warriors stood at a crossroads. Fresh off selecting James Wiseman with the No. 2 pick in 2020, they held the No. 7 pick in a draft brimming with talent. With Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green still in their prime, the Warriors were in a rare position: a win-now team with two consecutive lottery picks. They had their eyes on Josh Giddey, a playmaking prodigy, but when the Thunder snatched him at No. 6, Golden State pivoted to Jonathan Kuminga.
What seemed like a promising move at the time has spiraled into one of the franchise’s most haunting missteps. The Kuminga pick, alongside the Wiseman selection, is now a glaring blemish on the Warriors’ otherwise storied legacy. Wiseman was shipped to Detroit over two years ago, and Kuminga’s tenure is teetering on the edge of disaster. The 22-year-old restricted free agent is locked in a contract standoff, and the Warriors’ front office seems to be caught in a nightmare of their own making.
From the outset, Kuminga’s fit with the Warriors raised eyebrows. His athleticism and raw potential were undeniable, but his skill set clashed with the team’s needs. Golden State’s system thrives on spacing, ball movement, and shooting—qualities Kuminga has yet to consistently deliver. The situation grew even murkier after the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler, whose non-shooting style mirrored Kuminga’s. Lineups featuring Kuminga, Butler, and Draymond Green—three players who struggle from beyond the arc—were predictably disastrous. The Warriors’ offense, built on Curry’s gravity and Thompson’s sharpshooting, sputtered when Kuminga was on the floor.
Last season, Kuminga’s role dwindled. He was out of the rotation entirely until Curry’s injury forced the team’s hand. Even then, his impact was inconsistent, and his frustration was palpable. Now, as a restricted free agent, the tension has boiled over. Kuminga rejected a two-year, $45 million offer from the Warriors that included a team option and no trade protection. In response, Golden State balked at his agent’s counteroffer: a three-year, $82 million deal.
The Warriors’ stance is perplexing. They’ve set a sky-high price for Kuminga in sign-and-trade talks, demanding an unprotected first-round pick while refusing to part with Buddy Hield or Moses Moody. Yet, their reluctance to commit to Kuminga long-term suggests they don’t see him as a cornerstone. Kuminga, meanwhile, is reportedly considering accepting his $7.9 million qualifying offer—a move that would scream distrust in the organization’s vision for him.
Hindsight is brutal, and the 2021 NBA Draft is a masterclass in what could have been. After Kuminga went off the board at No. 7, a parade of stars emerged. Franz Wagner (No. 8, Magic) has blossomed into a versatile two-way wing. Alperen Sengun (No. 16, Thunder, traded to Rockets) is a playmaking big man who could have transformed Golden State’s frontcourt. Trey Murphy (No. 17, Grizzlies, traded to Pelicans), Jalen Johnson (No. 20, Hawks), and Quentin Grimes (No. 25, Clippers, traded to Knicks) have all outshone Kuminga in their respective roles.
Imagine Sengun anchoring the Warriors’ center position. His passing, scoring, and rebounding would have addressed the team’s longstanding need for a reliable big man, complementing Curry and Thompson’s perimeter brilliance. Wagner’s all-around game or Murphy’s sharpshooting would have seamlessly slotted into Golden State’s system. Instead, the Warriors are left with a player whose fit feels like a square peg in a round hole.
The Warriors’ handling of Kuminga is a microcosm of their draft woes. Their insistence on controlling his future—whether through a team-friendly contract or an exorbitant trade demand—feels like an attempt to salvage a sinking investment. But Kuminga, tired of being sidelined, is pushing back. He’s not a perfect player; his shooting and decision-making need refinement. Yet, the Warriors’ inability to develop him or find a role that maximizes his talents points to a deeper failure.
The Wiseman and Kuminga picks were meant to bridge Golden State’s present and future, blending the championship core with young talent. Instead, they’ve become cautionary tales. Wiseman is long gone, and Kuminga’s saga grows uglier by the day. Unless the Warriors invent a time machine to revisit their 2021 draft board, they’re stuck in this horror story—one where the scariest part is that they wrote it themselves.