Jonathan Kuminga has been mentioned as a possible trade candidate over the past few months. The Sacramento Kings have also been mentioned as a potential trade destination for the Golden State Warriors forward. However, a deal has yet to come to fruition -- and it remains to be seen if a trade will happen. However, should Sacramento make an effort to acquire Kuminga?
It's one thing to say a team should trade for a player who is rumored to be available. It is another thing for the player to be a quality fit on a roster. In this situation, it is reasonable to argue that Kuminga is a tremendous fit for Sacramento.
The 6'8" 22-year-old would immediately address two areas of need for the Kings. Sacramento's stars -- Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan -- are all veterans who are either in their late 20's or early-mid 30's. Kuminga features the potential of a star, but at only 22 years old, he is a player Sacramento could build around for years to come.
Additionally, he would give the Kings crucial depth on the roster. He can guard multiple positions at 6'8", bringing his versatility into play. The Kings would certainly benefit from the added versatility.
Kuminga still has room to improve. He has displayed signs of stardom in recent seasons, though. In 2024-25, the Warriors forward averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Kuminga averaged 16.1 points per outing in 2023-24.
His offensive ceiling is especially intriguing. At the very least, he will be a player who can move around the floor and guard multiple positions, but Kuminga could reach All-Star status by becoming a consistent scorer.
The fit makes sense for the Kings for multiple reasons. One final potential motivation for agreeing to such a deal comes down to franchise direction. At the moment, it is difficult to say exactly which direction the Kings are going. They aren't the worst team in the NBA, but they are also far from competing for a championship.
Trading for Kuminga would signal a rebuild, something that would finally provide the aforementioned direction. Sacramento could then begin to look toward the future by building around young players with high ceilings such as Kuminga.
The chances of Sacramento and Golden State making a trade before the regular season appear to be slim at this point. Perhaps a trade may surface at some point down the road.