Unexpected Update on Kings' Pursuit of Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors Trade

Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that a deal is any closer between the Warriors and Kings. In fact, it sounds like nothing has changed in terms of the Warriors’ likelihood of accepting an offer from the Kings. 

The Warriors balked at both reported offers that Sacramento sent, one including Malik Monk and draft capital, and another including Devin Carter. While these offers might even be overpays for a restricted free agent in a sign-and-trade, the Warriors have signalled they aren’t interested in entertaining offers. 

From Golden State’s standpoint, they don’t want to move Kuminga to an in-state rival, and they feel that his contract may be their ticket to a big deadline acquisition. Whether Golden State or Kuminga is playing this situation correctly is up for interpretation, but one important question is whether Kuminga is the right move for the Kings. 

Should the Kings keep targeting Kuminga?

Carter and Monk are both solid players, with Monk being one of the best sixth men in the league and Carter already making waves with his defense. Losing either would be a significant blow, but Sacramento needs to initiate the process of reworking its guard-heavy roster. 

Kuminga is a good offensive player who can create his own shot and put pressure on the defense with his athleticism, which the Kings could benefit from. The issue with Kuminga is two-fold. First, he hasn’t really shown that he’s much more than a ball-dominant slasher without a reliable shot. Second, he’s looking for a contract worth around $25 million per year. No doubt trading one or more guards for Kuminga helps the roster, but should the Kings be willing to pay up?

If the price for the 22-year-old wing is Carter or Monk, and a salary filler, the Kings should get it done and be open to paying him. It would be preferable if the Warriors were willing to take DeMar DeRozan instead, but the easy fix would be bringing him off the bench and fielding calls for him during the season. 

As I mentioned, Kuminga hasn’t shown much in terms of his ability to play without the ball, but there remains the possibility that his development is being stunted by the star-heavy roster in San Francisco. 

It’s no secret that the Warriors have struggled to develop players internally since their dynasty kicked off. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green were all drafted and developed in Golden State, but players like Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, and Kuminga haven’t become the consistent contributors they were expected to be. 

There’s no promise that Kuminga would thrive in Sacramento, but he would have a much bigger opportunity to show that he’s more than just a good athlete. 

There are also signs that point to Kuminga fitting better in Sacramento. First, he was significantly more efficient in the playoffs when given a bit more time on the ball. In five games against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kuminga averaged 21 points per game on 54% from the field and 42% from three. It’s a small sample size, and the Warriors were 1-4 in those games, but it’s enough to make you think Kuminga may shine when utilized differently. 

In Sacramento, Kuminga would be part of a more egalitarian offense that isn’t focused on just one player. Kuminga would be the beneficiary of Domantas Sabonis’ passing and screening ability, while floor spacing from Keegan Murray, Zach LaVine, and Dennis Schroder (to a lesser extent) should give him the lanes he needs to attack. 

The biggest question mark is whether Kuminga will become a good enough playmaker to rationalize allowing him to be a focal point of the offense. In those five against the Wolves, Kumigna averaged just 1.2 assists per game to 2 turnovers. 

Sacramento continuing to hold out for Kuminga makes sense, but my reasoning may not be how everyone is looking at the situation. No one knows what Kuminga will be when he’s 25, but as of now, he’s a 6-foot-8 wing that fits better on Sacramento’s roster than Monk or Carter. 

On a better team that doesn’t have as many redundancies, Monk and Carter may be much more valuable than Kuminga. For Sacramento, that isn’t the case. Carter, for all intents and purposes, will be the 4th or even 5th shooting guard on the roster. Monk is also sitting behind at least LaVine and isn’t a good fit with him either. 

Even if it’s a big bet, staying in on Kuminga makes sense for Sacramento as they need to take some chances to turn their current roster into a playoff team.