Warriors Owner Holding Back Potential Jonathan Kuminga, Kings Trade

The Sacramento Kings have been linked to a potential sign-and-trade for Jonathan Kuminga.

Apr 13, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) looks on during warmups before the game against the LA Clippers at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

The Sacramento Kings have been linked to restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga for much of the 2025 NBA offseason, being one of just a couple of teams with significant interest in the 22-year-old forward. The Golden State Warriors, however, have been reluctant to let him find another home, despite the team giving up on him toward the end of the 2024-25 season.

Kings' offer for Kuminga

The Kings have reportedly offered Malik Monk and a protected first-round pick to the Warriors for Kuminga, but Golden State did not like that offer, for a couple of reasons. One, the Warriors want the first-round pick to be unprotected. Two, to make this financially sound, the Warriors would also have to part with either Buddy Hield or Moses Moody.

The Golden State Warriors REJECTED a trade offer from the Kings that included Malik Monk and a first-round pick in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga, per @ShamsCharania

“The Warriors had shut down sign-and-trades, steadfast all offseason in declining frameworks of Royce O'Neale and… pic.twitter.com/WXOkv4n8FO

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 15, 2025

For the Kings, swapping Monk for Kuminga would actually make sense, even though the flashy guard has grown to be a fan favorite in Sacramento. The Athletic's Sam Amick recently reported that the Kings are "under the impression that Kuminga does, in fact, want to play for them," but it comes down to what the Warriors are willing to do.

Warriors not looking to part with Kuminga

Of course, it is obvious that the Warriors are hesitant to part ways with Kuminga, or else they would have agreed to a sign-and-trade by now, but why? Kuminga logged multiple DNPs in last season's playoffs, yet the team is so hell-bent on keeping him that it ruins their entire offseason?

Another report from Sam Amick suggests that the Warriors do not want to lose Kuminga because of the fear of him becoming a star in Sacramento.

"[Warriors owner] Joe Lacob is eternally in love with Jonathan Kuminga," Amick said. "There is a sense from some people involved that there's a real reluctance to not only 'quit him,' but to see him go up the road to another Northern California team that is run by a guy in Vivek Ranadive, who used to be with the Warriors, and then what if Kuminga blows up and is a total star?"

Amick continues to say, "There's some folks that feel like that could be playing a small part. That's not really relevant because these other things are real obstacles."

Of course, this Monk-for-Kuminga deal is challenging to make for the Warriors because of the financial restraints, so it does not even matter whether or not Warriors owner Joe Lacob wants to trade Kuminga. Despite some speculation about how this deal would get done if the Kings made the first-round pick unprotected, that does not seem to be the case.

If the Warriors' owner does not want to trade away Kuminga, at least not yet, then this would not get done unless an undeniable offer comes through, and the Kings are not willing to give up their most valuable pieces in this deal.