Mike Dunleavy Jr. calls Jonathan Kuminga’s negotiations with Warriors ‘fair, reasonable’

There are two ways that negotiations can drag out. They can get prolonged because one side is being unfair and unreasonable, or they can stall because both sides are holding firm to what they want. And while Jonathan Kuminga’s summer-long stalemate with the Golden State Warriors might have felt to many like the former, Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. disagrees.

Speaking at training camp for the first time since Kuminga agreed to a one-plus-one with a team option, Dunleavy had words of praise for the negotiation process with Kuminga and agent Aaron Turner. When asked about the contract, Dunleavy began by addressing the negotiations. “As far as negotiations go, it was fair, reasonable,” the third-year GM and former player said. “No issues on my end, and I think sometimes these things just take time. But by my account, I’m all good with it … think it’s good for both sides.”

The negotiation process has earned Turner plenty of critiques, which are hardly new (his former client, All-Star Victor Oladipo, has spoken out very strongly against him in the past). While Turner was angling for a player option, and had earlier suggested that a team option was offensive, the sides ended up agreeing on a contract very similar to the one that the Warriors opened negotiations with.

But those critiques were levied at Turner’s ability to get Kuminga a better deal, not at Turner’s professionalism when dealing with the Warriors. While the agent’s media tour in recent days may have raised some eyebrows and rolled some eyes, word never leaked that he was being dirty in negotiations or bargaining in bad faith. And judging by Dunleavy’s comments, it seems to be because the Warriors never felt that was the case.

For as much as it feels like the sides are headed for a divorce sooner rather than later — perhaps as early as the trade deadline — everyone seems happy now that the negotiations are in the rearview mirror. Dunleavy either accurately described a harmless bargaining process or took the high road, while Kuminga has been saying all the right things in his media availability. Steve Kerr and the Warriors players seem happy to have Kuminga back and for now, all seems well.