“Well no”: Michael Jordan’s ex-teammate Ron Harper brutally shuts down Jonathan Kuminga’s bold self-comparison to Cunningham, Barnes

Jonathan Kuminga has reached a pivotal point in contract extension talks with the Golden State Warriors. Amid the stalled negotiations, insiders revealed that Kuminga’s expectations have soared after he compared his value to that of young All-Stars across the league. However, Michael Jordan’s ex-teammate, Ron Harper, shot it down.

San Francisco Chronicle’s Ron Kroichick reported that Kuminga and his camp believe he belongs in the same tier as Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes.

“He apparently thinks he’s at the Cade Cunningham–Scottie Barnes level, where he should get that type of contract. It’s really a quandary. I think it’s bad for the Warriors and bad for him,” Kroichick wrote.

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NBACentral

@TheDunkCentral

Jonathan Kuminga reportedly believes he’s on the same level as Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes, per @ronkroichick “He apparently thinks he’s at the Cade Cunningham–Scottie Barnes level, where he should get that type of contract. It’s really a quandary. I think it’s bad for

However, not everyone is buying into that comparison. Former NBA guard and Michael Jordan’s ex-teammate, Harper, dismissed the idea after NBACentral shared the report.

“Well no,” Harper commented on NBACentral’s tweet.

Cunningham and Barnes both secured massive five-year, $224 million maximum rookie extensions last offseason. Those deals reflect their All-Star credentials, an honor Kuminga is yet to achieve.

During the 2024-25 season, Kuminga’s production dipped slightly, averaging 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. These numbers fall short of Cunningham and Barnes across every major statistical category.

The Warriors find themselves at a standstill with Kuminga, who's reportedly pushing for a contract in the $30 million per year range. Golden State, meanwhile, is looking at him closer to $20 million annually.

Anonymous NBA executive compares Jonathan Kuminga with Jaden McDaniels

Placing Jonathan Kuminga in the same tier as Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes isn’t justified yet. Cunningham and Barnes are already established as leaders and go-to players for the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors, respectively, while Kuminga spent a large part of the 2024-25 season coming off the bench.

Instead of those lofty comparisons, an anonymous NBA executive offered a more realistic parallel, which even aligns with how the Golden State Warriors currently value Kuminga. According to the exec, Kuminga is comparable with Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels:

“McDaniels is great in his role, but J.K. is more talented and has higher upside if he ever can hit.”

NBACentral

@TheDunkCentral

An anonymous executive says he would give Jonathan Kuminga $125M over five years and compares him to Jaden McDaniels “McDaniels is great in his role, but J.K. is more talented and has higher upside if he ever can hit.” (Via @TheAthletic )

McDaniels signed a five-year, $131 million deal, averaging about $25 million annually. That figure is below the $30 million per year Jonathan Kuminga initially sought, but it’s in line with the two-year, $45 million contract Golden State is reportedly prepared to offer him.

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About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia is an NBA, WNBA, and tennis journalist at Sportskeeda with over four years of experience in the field with The SportsRush.

Advait has a love of basketball that stems from playing the game, and has represented Mumbai North at the Inter-District State Championship and Maharashtra at the ASISC National Games.

His favorite team is the New Orleans Pelicans, although Advait also has an affinity for the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. His favorite player of all time was Kobe Bryant, as the Lakers legend's undeniable talent and mentality were just unignorable. As for players in the current game, Stephen Curry, Zion Williamson, Victor Wembanyama, and Kyrie Irving are top of Advait's list.

When not watching or writing about sports, Advait is a fan of true crime shows, board games and console gaming.

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