NBA Rumors: Negotiations between Warriors and Kings for Jonathan Kuminga Resume

After more than a month without exchanging proposals, the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors resumed their discussions this week regarding a possible sign-and-trade for Jonathan Kuminga. Although the talks did not make significant progress, the mere fact that they took place reveals that the Kings have not closed the door to adding the young restricted free-agent forward. Sacramento has been considered the leading candidate since the beginning of the summer to snatch Kuminga from the Warriors. Their proposal included a three-year, $63 million contract for the player, along with sending Malik Monk and a protected 2030 first-round pick to Golden State. However, the Bay Area team never seemed fully convinced. Beyond Monk's sporting fit raising doubts, his contract also complicates the picture: he has a player option for $21.6 million in 2027/28 that is not attractive in terms of salary. According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Golden State has considered immediately moving him to a third team, but it is currently unclear if there is a real market for him. Another obstacle is of a financial nature. If the exchange were to take place directly between Kuminga and Monk, the base compensation rules would require the Warriors to be subject to the first apron of the luxury tax, severely limiting their flexibility. This situation would jeopardize, for example, the possibility of signing Al Horford using the mid-level exception designated for contributing teams. **Stalled Negotiations** To avoid this, the Warriors would need to move additional pieces like Buddy Hield or Moses Moody, something they have already made clear in previous negotiations they were not willing to do, and which seems even less likely as the weeks go by. There is also the issue of the protections on the first-round picks offered by the Kings. Sacramento is reluctant to eliminate them entirely, but Golden State is pressing for them to at least be less severe. In the current proposal, if the 2030 draft fell into the lottery, the Warriors would receive the less favorable pick between Sacramento and San Antonio in 2031, a scenario that significantly diminishes the asset's value. Meanwhile, the San Francisco team has tried to steer the situation with new offers to Kuminga. Among them, a three-year, $75 million contract with a team option in the third season. However, that clause has become the major point of contention. Aaron Turner, the player's agent, reiterated in statements to ESPN that Golden State's insistence on maintaining a team option at the end of their two and three-year proposals is the main reason why his client has not committed. In this context, the alternative of signing the $8 million qualifying offer, which includes a no-trade clause and paves the way for unrestricted free agency in 2026, remains on the table. This route would give Kuminga more control over his future but also entails the risk of losing long-term stability. The deadline to make a decision is October 1, so the outcome will arrive, one way or another, in the coming days. In the meantime, the Kings and Warriors continue to measure forces in a showdown that could ultimately shape the construction of their rosters for the upcoming season.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Rumores NBA: Vuelven las negociaciones entre Warriors y Kings por Jonathan Kuminga