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Why the Kings Are Still in the Jonathan Kuminga Conversation

Even after signing with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Jonathan Kuminga is linked to the Sacramento Kings.
Eric Sperlazza|
Feb 26, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga (0) brings the ball up the court against the Washington Wizards during the second half at State Farm Arena.
Feb 26, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga (0) brings the ball up the court against the Washington Wizards during the second half at State Farm Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Sacramento Kings

It’s been a while since the Sacramento Kings and Jonathan Kuminga were a joint headline. Kuminga signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves to a two-year deal and looks poised to play a big role. Sacramento might have been interested, but their lack of financial flexibility would make even the relatively small deal he signed in Minnesota look lucrative. 

If you’re in the camp that still has a soft spot for the former lottery pick, fear not; his agent is still thinking about the Kings. But this time, a year in advance.

“Next year is a way better free agency year for him. … Those teams that have been trying to sign-and-trade for him, like Sacramento and Chicago, will have a lot of money next year,” Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, said in a recent interview with Run It Back TV.

Why They Weren’t Ever in the Kuminga Sweepstakes This Year

There’s a pretty short answer to this question, but the way the Kings got there is probably the more interesting piece. The Kings are a rare case in the NBA of a team that is old, expensive, and bad. There are plenty of teams that can claim two parts of that, but few that have all three. 

Between trading for Zach LaVine, signing DeMar DeRozan, trading for and signing (and trading) Dennis Schroder, the Kings had completely stifled any sort of financial flexibility they hoped to have while rebuilding.

The biggest blocker may very well be the tax line, which they did get under after stretching DeMar DeRozan’s guarantee. Owner Vivek Ranadive has never allowed his team to incur a luxury tax penalty during his tenure, and I don’t imagine he was interested in starting now. Signing Kuminga to the same deal the Wolves gave him would put them back over the line, and also wouldn’t be enough to change their fate in the West.

Why the Kings Are Getting Mentioned (Again)

Turner spelled it out pretty well, and though it was an interesting decision to talk about another team after your client just signed a deal with a contender, it makes sense that the Kings would be in the picture later on. 

It’s no secret that both Kuminga (and Turner) want to see Kuminga sign a lucrative, long-term deal, and one certain team projects to clear at least $70 million in salary next summer. Kuminga and his agent agreed to a deal with a player option for a purpose: to take advantage of a much friendlier cap environment in the 2027 offseason.

The Kings will still likely have a hole on the wing after De’Andre Hunter’s deal expires at the end of the season, but they may have some competition as well. If Kuminga buys in and plays well for the Wolves, there will be no shortage of suitors for him, including the Chicago Bulls. If he doesn’t have a great year, I’m not so sure the Kings (or the Bulls) will even be in on him, which is why this year will be so interesting for him.

Should the Kings Still Be in On Him?

You likely heard Turner proclaim that Kuminga was the best player on the Atlanta Hawks last season, so of course the Kings would want him, right? Well, Turner’s proclamation did come from a place of truth (maybe?) after his client’s solid year in Atlanta, but Kuminga still hasn’t shown he can be a team player and a consistent cog in a winning team. 

Teams aren’t looking for him to be a star; they just want him to star in his role. To date, he hasn’t seemed interested in doing the things necessary to change his reputation.

This isn’t to say that he won’t figure things out still, but the Kings should be absolutely certain that Kuminga is going to improve defensively and play off the ball before looking into him again. Chances are, he just isn’t that type of player, though his athleticism might make him more interesting than others in his category. The Kings do need more athleticism, but they need defense to be packaged with it, and I’m not sure that Kuminga will ever be a positive on that end.

The other piece of this is that there will be other options. The Kings usually aren’t major players in free agency, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be some possibilities. Former Scott Perry pick RJ Barrett will be a free agent, along with Tyler Herro, Cam Johnson, Keldon Johnson, and others. The Kings may not find a star on the open market, but they could find a fourth or fifth starter or a sixth man for the future.

With Kuminga’s history on the court (and in the media) along with his likely high salary expectations, the Kings really should turn their focus to other options for next summer. They need to wait and see what this young core looks like after drafting Darius Acuff Jr. and evaluate once they’ve had a chance to take the reins. They may not need a player like Kuminga after picking up Jonathan Mogbo and re-signing Precious Achiuwa. 

If the stars align and Kuminga makes sense after this season, then great, but I still think this entire exercise makes little sense now that it doesn’t involve shedding long-term salary anymore.

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Eric Sperlazza
ERIC SPERLAZZA

Eric Sperlazza covers the NBA and Sacramento Kings for Sacramento Kings On SI.

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