Will the Sacramento Kings finally trade for Jonathan Kuminga following months of rumors? Kuminga, a forward who currently plays with the Golden State Warriors, has been mentioned as a trade candidate. Meanwhile, Sacramento has often been discussed as a potential landing destination for him. If a deal were to come to fruition, what may the return look like for Kuminga?
NBA insider Sam Vecenie recently discussed the idea, suggesting there is a reasonable path forward for the Kings to take if they want to acquire the Warriors forward.
"If you're the Kings and you really want Jonathan Kuminga, you got all these second round picks back for De'Aaron Fox, right? Wouldn't you just, like, in a three-team deal attach two second round picks or something to pay for another team to take Buddy Hield," Vecenie said, via Game Theory Podcast w/ Sam Vecenie.
The Warriors and Kings could work out a deal to move Kuminga while also giving Golden State an opportunity to trade Buddy Hield to another team. A three-team deal could allow the Warriors to acquire multiple second round picks just for moving Hield in addition to players or a first round pick for Kuminga.
Trading Hield would give the Warriors an extra roster spot and added financial flexibility. Meanwhile, moving on from Kuminga would provide the forward with a fresh start. Kuminga's role with Golden State has been questionable at times.
At only 22 years old, acquiring Kuminga makes sense for a Kings team that would benefit from a rebuild. Sure, they currently have veterans such as Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan on the roster, but Sacramento does not look like a championship-caliber squad at the moment. Entering a rebuild would give the Kings an opportunity to build a new roster around younger players.
The Kings could still trade for Kuminga even if they are hesitant to begin a complete rebuild, however. He would instantly impact the team if given the opportunity. Sacramento would certainly benefit from the added forward depth.
A trade has been rumored over the past few months, but nothing has come to fruition as of this story's publication. At this point, trade talks may need to wait until the deadline. Anything is possible, though.
There is a path that makes sense for the Kings to acquire Jonathan Kuminga. However, nothing is guaranteed to occur as rumors continue to swirl.