Kings Up the Ante in Warriors Trade Talks: Report

The Sacramento Kings‘ best offer to date for Golden State Warriors restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga included a first-round pick, Sam Amick of The Athletic reports.

However, it was only a lottery-protected first-rounder attached to Malik Monk‘s remaining $60 million salary over the next three years.

“If that pick didn’t convey, then the Warriors would get the least favorable of the Kings or San Antonio’s first-round pick in 2031. Those protections have been the primary sticking point, team sources said, as the Warriors have insisted that the first-rounder be unprotected. Thus, the stalemate,” Amick wrote.

Aside from the pick as a sticking point, landing Monk in the deal will also force the Warriors to move a key piece of their rotation, likely Moses Moody or Buddy Hield, according to Amick, to stay under the first apron.

So, the Kings’ offer is essentially just the protected first-round pick. Still, it was better than their initial offer of Devin Carter, Dario Saric and two second-round picks.

However, the Warriors want an unprotected first-round pick, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The Kings have full control of their own picks, plus one protected first-round pick from the San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves‘ unprotected first-rounder in 2031, which they have received from the De’Aaron Fox trade.

However, the Kings are not inclined to surrender an unprotected first-round pick, as they can sign Kuminga as an unrestricted free agent next summer if the 22-year-old forward takes his qualifying offer.

Jonathan Kuminga Prefers Kings Over Suns

Despite the Phoenix Suns offering more money than the Kings, Kuminga is leaning towards staying in California.

The Suns offered $90 million over four years, according to Charania and his ESPN colleague Anthony Slater. On the other hand, the Kings only offered a three-year deal worth $63 million, according to Amick.

But after a Zoom call meeting with the Kings’ general manager Scott Perry, assistant general manager BJ Armstrong and coach Doug Christie, Kuminga was convinced to join them, according to Andscape’s senior NBA writer Marc J. Spears.

“He wants to go [to Sacramento],” Spears said on “NBA Today” on July 30. “The Kings are offering a starting spot, as the power forward, next to Keegan Murray and [Domantas] Sabonis.”

As Charania previously reported, “those are two things (significant playing time and a starting role) that he wants more than anything.”

The 22-year-old forward firmly believes he’s ready to spread his wings. In the final four games of last season — all losses that ended Golden State’s playoff run — Kuminga averaged 24.3 points on 55.4% shooting and 38.9% from the 3-point line.

The Kings’ offer is pleasing to Kuminga’s ears, but not the Warriors.

“He’s in,” Spears said of Kuminga. “He wants to go there, but the Warriors don’t like the first [pick being offered].”

Warriors Offer Shorter, Tradeable Contract

According to Charania and Slater, the Warriors’ latest offer stands at a two-year, $45 million deal with a team option on the second year and Kuminga relinquishing the inherent no-trade clause.

It was constructed to be traded near the next trade deadline.

The former lottery pick rejected it.

In rejecting the Warriors’ $22.5 million per year offer, Kuminga stood for himself, not wanting to cede “too much control to a franchise he believes has stunted and strung his career along for four seasons,” according to Charania and Kuminga.