Kings' Rumor Roundup on Ja Morant, Jonathan Kuminga Trade Interest

Where do the Sacramento Kings stand in potential trades for Ja Morant and Jonathan Kuminga?

Dec 5, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) walks off the court after being ejected during the fourth quarter against the Sacramento Kings at FedExForum. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

With the NBA trade deadline quickly approaching, the Sacramento Kings are one of the handful of teams that fans would be shocked to see not make any moves. Of course, the Kings' recent four-game winning streak could alter some things, but their long-term outlook has not been impacted, and the franchise could still benefit from some trades.

Two big names that continue to come up in Kings' discussions are Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant and Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, but where does the team actually stand with those two?

Why Kings are hesitant about a Morant trade

The Kings and Miami Heat have been mentioned as the top two suitors for Morant as the Grizzlies reportedly open up trade talks for him. However, the Kings continue to be shut down as a potential landing spot for the two-time All-Star.

HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reports that a big factor holding back a Morant-to-Sacramento trade is the Kings' hesitance to include any of their young assets in a deal.

"Meanwhile, the Kings have inquired about the price tag for Morant, but internal questions about whether the franchise is ready to give up assets and add him while focusing on developing their young talent (Keegan Murray, Nique Clifford, and Maxime Raynaud) and gauging the market on potentially moving their veteran trio of Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan," Scotto reported.

Dec 26, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) gestures during the third quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at FedExForum. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Kings seem far more interested in shopping their veterans and turning their attention to their youth, but the Grizzlies are in a similar situation. Memphis is looking for young players and draft assets in return for Morant, which makes a trade between these two teams far more challenging.

Not only that, but if Morant has any say in his next team, the star guard would likely prefer to go to Miami than Sacramento, and many Kings fans seem content with the idea of passing on him anyway. It is no secret that Morant, regardless of how talented he was at his peak, would be a questionable fit for any team that trades for him. The Kings have the same concern.

"To cite another alleged suitor, team sources say the Sacramento Kings would only do a Morant deal if it didn’t involve giving the Grizzlies any significant draft capital. That’s … sort of a big obstacle. What’s more, it appears the Kings — who insist they’re not currently pursuing Morant — don’t see him as a good fit for their current timeline," The Athletic's Sam Amick reported.

The Kings are much better off shifting their focus to the future, which actually makes Kuminga an intriguing trade target.

Warriors are making it hard for Kings to land Kuminga

The Kings continue to be mentioned as the top destination for Kuminga, and after the 23-year-old forward reportedly demanded a trade from Golden State, talks are likely heating up.

However, the Warriors continue to make things difficult for the Kings in their pursuit of Kuminga. The Warriors remain disinterested in Malik Monk, while the Kings are hesitant to give up any draft capital for the disgruntled forward.

"The Sacramento Kings have shown the most consistent interest in acquiring Kuminga, league sources told HoopsHype. Over the summer, Sacramento was considering including a protected first-round draft pick along with Malik Monk in sign-and-trade discussions for Kuminga, sources said," Scotto reported.

"However, the Kings are now unwilling to part with a first-round pick and would likely need a third team to ultimately acquire Kuminga, with the Warriors remaining uninterested in acquiring Monk and preferring expiring contracts, HoopsHype has learned."

Nov 4, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (1) looks on against the Phoenix Suns in the third quarter at Chase Center. | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Since the Warriors are not interested in Monk, and the Kings have even reportedly given up on shopping the standout sixth man anyway, the most likely scenario to get Kuminga to Sacramento is a three-team deal.

"As such, sources from both teams acknowledge that a three-team deal is most likely if Kuminga is going to wind up with the Kings," The Athletic's Marcus Thompson II and Sam Amick reported.

While it would not shock anyone if the Kings end up landing Kuminga somehow, it is becoming less likely. The Kings could get past the trade deadline without making any major moves, and with how the market is shifting, that might not even be a bad scenario.