The Warriors just said no to a pretty sweet deal for Jonathan Kuminga from the Kings. Sacramento offered a three-year, $63 million package that would’ve sent Malik Monk and a lottery-protected 2030 first-round pick to Golden State.
So why did the Warriors walk away?
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Golden State would’ve needed to move either Moses Moody or Buddy Hield to stay under the first apron. They weren’t willing to part with either guard.
“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,” Amick explained. “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.”
Moody had a breakout year last season at just 23 years old. He put up career highs across the board – 9.8 points, 1.3 assists, and 22.3 minutes per game. He also grabbed 2.6 rebounds while shooting a solid 43.3% from the field and a career-best 37.4% from three-point range in 74 games.
Hield, the veteran sharpshooter, played all 82 games last season. The 32-year-old averaged 11.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in about 23 minutes per game. He shot nearly 42% overall and 37% from downtown.
Kuminga’s Future in Golden State
The Warriors still expect Kuminga to be on their roster next season, according to Amick. But a lot can change before his one-year, $7.1 million qualifying offer deadline on October 1st.
Golden State’s current offer to Kuminga is reportedly two years, $45 million with a team option for the second year.
There’s a catch, though. The Warriors want Kuminga to waive the no-trade clause that would automatically come with this contract. Kuminga isn’t having it – he wants leverage, especially after seeing how things have played out this summer.
Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard backed up these reports.
“The word I got when I checked in with a Warriors source on Sunday: Kuminga won’t be traded this summer. He’ll be back on the Warriors’ roster to start the season,” Kawakami wrote.
“But several sources have indicated that the Warriors have been unenthusiastic about the general idea of a Kuminga sign-and-trade from the outset.”
It seems Warriors owner Joe Lacob is still high on Kuminga’s potential. At just 22 years old, the athletic forward has shown flashes of stardom.
“The broad context is that Lacob remains a fan of Kuminga’s and is determined to either keep the 22-year-old on the roster or get real value in return. And he’s willing to wait it out,” Kawakami added.
The Warriors could still trade Kuminga during the upcoming season if things don’t work out. And if no deal is reached at all, the former lottery pick could test the waters as an unrestricted free agent next summer – potentially commanding an even bigger payday.
