Jonathan Kuminga is officially trade eligible as of Thursday and the rumors surrounding him are back in our lives. A new report from ESPN, says the Golden State Warriors are not interested in the idea of taking on long-term contracts in a deal, which includes Malik Monk’s $60.4 million over three years. Though the report does indicate that acquiring Keon Ellis is something that could move the needle.
“League sources said the Warriors have been prioritizing expiring contracts in return for Kuminga. They’ve declined the idea of taking back long-term contracts unless they view it as no-brainer positive value. That has been the holdup in conversations with Sacramento. The Warriors refuse to absorb the three years and $60.4 million remaining on Malik Monk’s deal, though league sources said Keon Ellis (on a cheap expiring deal) is a potential sweetener of interest to them.”
To add more to smoke, the report also states that Kuminga has officially demanded to be traded.
We’ll keep you updated as things progress.
This could be done as Ellis/DDR for Kuminga and the Dubs choice of Santos, TJD or Melton. Melton has a $3.5m PO next year, so if you factor that against DDR’s $10m buyout, the Dubs would be removing $27.8m in potential liability next year for the $10m buyout plus the if of them extending Ellis. The Dubs have no 2nd round pick next year, so I’d toss in the lesser of the Kings 2nd round picks if that what it took to get it done. The Kings aren’t using Ellis, and DDR is costing the Kings potential losses in close games. You get a good tire kick on Kuminga for basically nothing. I’m game.
And, from the land of crazy town:
GS trades Kuminga, Hield, Moody, Horford, the 16 pick for Sabonis and Ellis. Kings could turn around and waive DMD and Eubanks.
Kings basically buy the tire kick on Kuminga and get the 16 pick for taking the Moody and Hield contracts.
I’ve had coffee:
GS gets Rozier, Ellis, the lesser of the Kings 2nd rounders.
Sac gets Kuminga and Melton.
Mia gets DDR and Santos.
Is Rozier even tradable with the pending investigation? I heard conflicting reports.
I’ve heard that he is. Given that he is an expiring, my guess is that his case will not be adjudicated in a timeframe where his contract could be voided.
I’ll raise you with:
GS gets Vuc and Coby White (both expiring)
Kings get Kuminga
Bulls get Monk, Moody, and Dubs 2026
Done.
Ha ha (on the coffee)
Who do you trust more as an evaluator of talent — Vivek Ranadive or Steve Kerr. I’ll pass on the trade despite the need for forwards. Precious is doing a nice job and the combo of Raynaud and Cardwell gives us some inside presence. It is our 2026 first round draft choice that must be done right for a change.
I get the love for Precious, but the fact remains, he’s a UFA this summer and the Kings currently have little ability to re-sign him other than the vet minimum or using their MLE. Also, would you want to re-sign here in Sac if you are Precious?
He probably has some value to a contender how can use him this post-season. If he can be a sweetener attached to DDR, LaVine, etc. then do it.
Yep, there is a reason why the Warriors (a winning organization) are trying to unload Kuminga. Because he’s not a winning player.
And there’s a reason why they are interested in a player like Ellis… but not Monk (and his salary).
I suspect there are only 1-2 players on the Kings roster (outside the rookies) who have any positive value around the league whatsoever… And that would be Keon, and maybe Murray.
I think it was somewhere on ESPN, but I read that the Warriors might hang on to him past the deadline if they don’t get a deal they like, then try to move JK in the summer/offseason.
With him requesting a trade and his relationship with the team not being so great at this point, is that really an option for the W’s? I’d be pretty surprised if he’s still on their roster afer 2/5.
I think it would be a pretty dick move by the Dubs. Everyone knows they gave him that contract to trade him by Jan. 15th. Should they hang onto him, they are just supressing his career.
Yeah, it’s an untenable situation. I think they’re at the point we are with some of our guys- just get the best deal possible and move on.
My guess is if they don’t move him, they are just not going to pick up his team option. The Dubs are probably looking for a win now piece in return that is also an expiring deal. They don’t want to take on money and they don’t want end of the bench sitters. Their window is so close to being closed. They basically have this season and maybe next with Steph.
That’s why I think guys like Vuc, Coby White, John Collins, Anfernee Simons, or even Zinger may have appeal to them. The Kings just don’t have any productive expiring deals that appeal to the Dubs.
I’m sure the recent report of us no longer “actively shopping Monk” is just posturing, but I hope we keep Malik. Love the player and the man. The 1-5 is the meat and bones of the tank anyway. Just get rid of Demar and Lavine for Fox sake.
That’s because we’ve won 3 in a row and are now going to stand pat and push for the play-in.
ViveKangzMatina!
“Hi, I’m Vivek Ranadive and I support this message.”
There is a very real chance of this mindset currently pulsing through the Kings front office as we speak. Scary.
It’s scary because the Kings are 7 games back of the 10th seed, and Memphis is sort of a mess. I could see Vivek thinking they have a chance, especially with a potentially soft schedule after the break, to sneak in to a play-in spot.
“Look, we have Domas and Keegan returning by the deadline. If we were to add some players, we could make a push”
-Vivek (probably)
Yep. The Vegas over/under for the Kings was low to mid 30s, so you could see a scenario where they stand pat and win another (say) 16 games this season, giving them a total of 27 and putting them into the 7th-8th lottery slot. It would be very much on brand.
Winning 7 of their final 10 games is very Kangz.
“Even easier if we get Ja from Memphis and they go full tank.”
Deal Dennis and keep Monk, sure its a worse deal but I appreciate the energy and his attitude, realise Monk isn’t a starting caliber PG but neither is DS any more
I’m not expecting the Kings to do anything major at this deadline. My hunch is that they will move 1 or 2 players (Monk and contract fillers in Saric/McDermott/Eubanks, etc.) and head in to the offseason with the same lingering questions from last offseason.
On Bill Simmons’ latest podcast he suggests the Kings go full Costanza and ask Vivek about every decision and just do the opposite.
I’ve heard worse ideas.
That means it’s a great idea!
We really are a Seinfeld episode.
Vivek is George Costanza, Vlade is Kramer, Matina is Elaine, Youngman is Newman, and Jerry is Jerry (because he gets all the ladies).
Grant is Frank Costanza.
Mark Jones is Jackie Chiles.
This is so spot on
David Putty
Banya
That’s gold Vivek, GOLD!
Does that make Kayte the Soup Nazi?
Kayte is the Close Talker
Uncle Leo.
Your Kings Broadcast team,
Thats the funniest comparison Ive seen in a while.
Kayte is George’s mom Estelle.
Deuce & Mo are Jerry’s parents in Florida?
Or is she “man hands”?
Uh oh! Has the push for the play-in begun?
1…2…3 Play-In Rocks!
Just sayin’ not sayin’
The Kuminga thing is so strange. They signed him after haggling on the trade wire to keep him. They didn’t give him $30M/season nor 3 years. But $48.5M/2 seasons with team option third. Still a hefty sum, rather than have him at $8.3M and UFA this season.
They do this, and with him and his agent, to play him. Yet, they don’t play him. I am thinking that whatever assurances they gave him are not being adhered to. Some might call this a dirty deal. It certainly has not helped their trade offers (even by the Kings). It would also make whatever assurances the Kings or other teams courting him back away from whatever sweet nothings they were whispering.
It is very odd. Maybe they have some other deal in place in the background with Giannis or someone, but it just seems strange.
And just as strange are the Malik Monk minutes. Have the Kings abandoned Kuminga for Monk and just played Monk? Is that even the reason Monk has been DNP-CD-ed?
On the Kings side – you aren’t winning more games with Monk or without Monk. On the Warriors side – are you winning more games with Kuminga?
I am confused.
The Monk thing is odd. It could be simply becuse Dennis is out and he’s gotten an opportunity the last three games. If that is the case, does he return to DNP/CD now that Dennis is back? Someone is not getting minutes between Dennis, Monk, and Keon.
Actually the team option is on the 2nd season. So he’s effectively an expiring contract. The deal was definitely made to facilitate trading him. They tried playing him early in the season, but his defense, IMO, is why he’s dropped out of the rotation. I expect him to be moved.
I only want him on the Kings if we don’t include any firsts and we’re swapping out players that don’t fit the rebuild. Try him out for a year. On a rebuilding team full of youth he can put up offensive numbers and we can move him next year at the deadline if the defense continues to be an issue.
I barely comment anymore because I am just at the crossroads of complete negativity and total lack of caring, and can be bothered less and less to vent my negativity and burden you all with it.
Sure, I like Domas, I somewhat enjoy seeing the enthousiasm of Cardwell and the growth of Maxi. Happy for Monk when he has a good game. But that’s about it.
I can’t muster enthousiasm for any sort of trade or whatever guy whe can and will pick in the draft, because I have zero confidence in this franchise to have a plan, stiock with it, and being able to execute it properly. Finding the right players, developing the players right, putting the right people around them. I just don’t see it happening.
Kudos to the TKH staff that keeps going on and to those fans here that find ways to stay engaged and find some hope, no matter how flimsy. I’m just tapped out. It’s mainly apathy with sometimes a brief spike of anger and disgust. But more and more apathy. And less inclination to combat it.
This somehow turned into sort of a goodbye post, which it isn’t. Just a “you’ll see me around here less”-post.
It’s not you, it’s
Vivekme.We feel ya, Dutch bro. Hopefully something happens soon with this franchise that reinvigorates your love for the team. Until then, stay strong.
I hear you Rik. I’ve scaled way back on everything Kings related because I have things I’d rather do than watch the bad basketball of a perpetually dysfunctional franchise.
Relative to the Kings, I sometimes feel that I’m going to be like a Red Sox fan that was born and died between 1919 and 2003- a lifetime of suffering for zero rings!
Right there with you, RikSmits. And as you often remind – we all fan our own way. There is no fan rulebook.
I had become so disgusted in the past, I tried to leave – it was during the STR to TKH transition. VivekMatina were up to their usual baloney and I was drowning in the sea of disappointment, apathy and hopelessness. The bleak future seemed endless. If it doesn’t provide you with happiness and you have other choices, than why do it?
I chose the LA Clippers with a super new owner, Steve Ballmer. And funny, despite their more winning ways and direction, it was the community here that brought me back. Folks like you – it’s sad I guess, but I had more fun here than watching the cellar dwelling team, and I had less fun with the Clippers community and the more winning team was not compelling enough, so…
I find I just don’t watch the games much anymore. My routine of going for a treadmill run and watching the game has me watching other teams just as much or more. And no, I don’t expect much to change. The future remains bleak. And I will add, again and again, this is just as much the NBA’s doing for allowing Ranadive and Kolokotronis to hold hostage this marvelous fan base. Sell the Team- new ownership would rekindle hope for some many so quickly.
But I’ll be here for my basketball fix nonetheless. TKH writers and editors, The THK Podcast and The Great Jerry Reynolds (and Will and Tony), Blake, Akis, the ghost of Greg, Zach, and more, our TKH community … I say this to you
The Sacramento Kings and The Kings Herald; the Brokeback Mountain of the NBA!
Oh, and there is still some nice Trailblazer <3 with the rise of Deni Avdija.
I hear you.
I have no idea when the team is playing anymore. The Kings are off my radar.
Apathy. Anger.
No matter how I think things through with this team, my mental meanderings always end up at the same place — All roads lead to Vivek.
I don’t see the team ending up anywhere good with that guy at the top.
Bitter. I feel that too, to the point where at times I don’t want the team to be successful because then Vivek will step up and take all the credit.
I do not want that loser to be successful.
On the bright side, I feel like I’m on the downslope from addiction. I’ve made it through the withdrawal period. Ever since the bullshit of Game 6, I’ve devoted a part of myself to rooting for this team to win a championship, since one was stolen from them. So it was hard to let go.
Now, despite liking some of the players, I feel I’m almost out.
I hear ya RS.
Sometimes a break is all that’s needed, hope that’s the case here. Fan how it best fits you and I hope things turn around
I definitely agree and just haven’t bothered to say it. I have full belief that Vivek will undermine whatever minimal competence Scott Perry has, that the Kings will win just enough games to get them out of the range of a star in the draft, or they’ll be in range and pick a Bagley or Papaginannis. If they do pick the right guy, they’ll trade him for a downgrade and he’ll go on to lead one of the best teams in the NBA.
Vivek is way beyond incompetent. Incompetent people sometimes get things right by random chance. Vivek is anti-competent. The evidence is that his decision making and instincts are the opposite of what you should do in any given situation.
I still watch the box scores and come here to read all of your takes, but I have no interest in watching the games, or in any of the current players outside of maybe the two rookies and Keon Ellis, who will be gone in a couple of months anyway.
So, according to hoopshype, the Kangz and Clips explored the idea of a DDR and Keon for Collins and filler. But then the Clips went 11-2, and they tabled it…for now. I would take it.
Second’d
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