The Sacramento Kings remain locked in on two potential free agents next offseason in Jalen Duren and Jonathan Kuminga. But if the Kings reach the point of actually signing Kuminga, that means De'Andre Hunter has to go. For a number of reasons, he is the obvious cut to make room.
It's been over a year since rumors of Kuminga to the Kings started. When his contract negotiations with the Warriors were going poorly, he named Sacramento as a spot on his radar as his next team. It led to a lot of speculation about what having him on the Kings would actually look like.
Things didn't quite work out that way as Kuminga re-signed with the Warriors, got traded to the Hawks, and is now on the Wolves. He's made several moves in a very short period of time. Regardless, it still seems that the Kings are on this mind even after moving to Minnesota.
Kuminga's agent was on a podcast and seemed to indicate that Kuminga may use the player option in the second year of his Wolves contract to head into unrestricted free agency. He also name-checked the Kings in that same interview. If a Sacramento move is in the works, Hunter should be worried.
If Kuminga is in, Hunter is out
Assuming Kuminga leaves the Wolves and the Kings make their move, that means adjustments to the roster will have to be made. The contracts for both Hunter and Zach LaVine will be up at the end of this season. For the Kings to have the money for Kuminga, that means at least Hunter has to go.
There are also certain roster realities to deal with. Kuminga is a combo forward, as is Keegan Murray. Keeping in mind that the Kings have made a long-term commitment to Murray, they will have to drop Hunter. They're not losing Murray, and Kuminga won't be playing off the bench for Sacramento.
The Kings will also want minutes at small forward and shooting guard for developing talents like Nique Clifford, Emanuel Sharp, Daeqwon Plowden, and Alex Karaban. All of this combined makes Hunter the odd man out. They need his salary to pay Kuminga and his spot on the roster.
For the Kings to continue to progress through the rebuild, choices will have to be made. Since Hunter is on an expiring contract, it's likely he'll be gone at the end of the season regardless of Kuminga's status. Sacramento needs that salary cap and roster space too badly.
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