Kings Emerge as Dark Horse Contenders in Jonathan Kuminga Trade Frenzy—What’s the Real Deal?

Come September’s end, the sizzling saga of Jonathan Kuminga’s future explodes back into the spotlight with a fresh jolt. The Sacramento Kings, undeterred despite earlier rebuffs, are once again knocking on Golden State’s door with a sign-and-trade proposal. Their shortcut to snag Kuminga? Tossing out Malik Monk, or perhaps Dario Saric, bundled with a lottery-protected first-round nugget of hope. But here’s where the plot thickens – Golden State’s disdain for Monk and their firm stance for an unprotected pick threw a wrench, cooling talks to a frosty silence… until now. With the clock ticking down to Kuminga’s crucial decision—either to bite the Warriors’ latest offers or cling to the safety of a qualifying contract—the chess game has resumed, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Is Sacramento finally ready to go all-in and give Kuminga the star-billling role he craves? Or will Golden State hold firm, balancing their championship hunger against a tricky roster puzzle? The answer’s coming fast, and trust me, you won’t want to blink. LEARN MORE

Sacramento and Golden State talked about a Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade this summer. The Kings reportedly offered Malik Monk (or maybe Dario Saric or another player) and a lottery-protected first-round pick. The Warriors shot that down, not having much love for Monk and demanding that the pick be unprotected. Talks eventually died off.

With less than a week before Kuminga either accepts one of the offers the Warriors have (or put) on the table, or he accepts the qualifying offer, the Kings have jumped back in the conversation, considering a sign-and-trade, reports Sam Amick at The Athletic.

Yet according to team sources, there’s still another scenario in play here: A sign-and-trade deal with the Sacramento Kings. While the two teams went more than a month without discussing the matter during the later part of the summer, team sources said the talks between the two sides were renewed earlier this week. And while no significant progress was made in the talks, it’s quite notable that the Kings — who have offered veteran guard Malik Monk and a lottery-protected, 2030 first-round pick for the chance to give Kuminga a three-year, $63 million deal — aren’t giving up on the prospect of bringing him to Sacramento this season.

As Amick notes, the Warriors are not high on Monk, who still has three years and $60.6 million remaining on his contract (including this season), and they would want to flip him in another deal, but other teams are hesitant for the same reason the Warriors are. Ultimately, this may come down to whether the Kings are willing to make this an unprotected first-round pick or not.

The Warriors have made a few contract offers to Kuminga but two are really in play: A three-year contract worth $75.2 million, with a team option for the third year; or a two-year, $45 million offer, but with a team option on the second year and the Warriors are demanding Kuminga give up the no-trade clause that would come with this offer. Kuminga and his team don’t like either one of those because they essentially make him a trade chip where he would have no control over where he lands. Which is why Kuminga has threatened to simply pick up the $8 million qualifying offer — a one-year contract with a built-in no-trade clause — and he would be a free agent next summer.

Whatever happens, it looks like Kuminga will get traded out of Golden State one way or another (which makes sense, the Warriors want to win now and there’s no clean role for him on a team with Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler.

The retooling Kings would give Kuminga what he wants — an opportunity to have the ball in his hands and be one of the top two players on a roster (this is still a team with Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine on it, but Sacramento wants to move on from them and Kuminga would get the chance to prove he was the future).

Whatever happens, it will go down by Oct. 1, the deadline for Kuminga to pick up the qualifying offer.