After a summer-long stalemate between the two sides, the Golden State Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga finally reached an agreement (which definitely screams "arranged marriage"). After the Utah Jazz opted not to extend Walker Kessler this summer, one might wonder if they will find themselves in the same situation as the Warriors did with Kuminga. Make no mistake about it, they won't.
At first glance, letting Kessler become a restricted free agent could be playing with fire. However, Utah went this route because they want to have their cake and eat it, or more specifically, they want to extend Kessler while still being a cap team next summer.
While that whole scenario does not have much to do with Kuminga, there's a big difference between the Warriors' relationship with him and the Jazz's with Kessler. Kuminga has had a topsy-turvy tenure with Golden State since drafting him in 2021. Though the talent is there, his role has fluctuated over the four years he's played for them.
That likely played a role in why the Jazz did not have interest in acquiring him from Golden State back when the Warriors tried to acquire Lauri Markkanen. Four years into his NBA career, it's still not clear if Kuminga is an effective basketball player.
That played into why Golden State played hardball with him, but also why it will be different between the Jazz and Kessler.
Utah knows exactly what it will get in Kessler
Kessler's tenure with the Jazz has also been a little topsy-turvy three years after acquiring his draft rights from Minnesota, but even so, when he had his sophomore slump, it wasn't like he was unplayable. He just took a step back after a surprisingly sensational rookie season. Last season, he more than made up for it as one of the brighter spots in what was a dismal season for Utah.
His ceiling as a player is limited, but Kessler has proven that he is good and can definitely be an asset for a good team. While Utah doesn't exactly fit that label at the moment, you'd be ridiculous to think Kessler has some responsibility for that.
It's easier to pay up for a player when he has shown exactly what his value is as opposed to what his potential is. Kuminga could be an All-Star in the making, but he hasn't reached that level with the Warriors (and may never do so). Kessler may never make an All-Star team, but he is a player that the Jazz know what they'll get from him and that what he brings isn't easily replaceable by any means.
Fans will understandably nervous about Kessler's RFA situation after everything that went down with Kuminga and the Warriors. Because Kessler has proven his worth to the Jazz a lot more than Kuminga has for the Warriors, it would be both stupid and shocking for Utah to let the same situation play out next summer.