The Sacramento Kings might look all over the league this summer for a player who can enhance their playoff chances next season, but their best and most promising hope may come from just a couple of hundred miles to the west.
For years, Kings fans have had to deal with owner Vivek Ranadivé's chaotic nature, and they know he may be relentless when he likes an idea. Jonathan Kuminga is the sort of up-and-comer that Ranadivé would love to insert into the lineup, so he might pursue him vigorously, although it'll cost Sacramento.
Jonathan Kuminga to the Kings makes sense for a lot of reasons
The Kings' front office would love a young talent they can build around. That was the whole idea behind De'Aaron Fox, after all. And while their relationship with Fox didn't work out, the Kings desire someone who can produce a lot for the team now and far into the future.
Kuminga averaged 15.3 points and 4.6 rebounds in 2024-25 but there were moments during the playoffs when it looked like he could a lot more, if only he had been given the chance. There has been a lot of reporting about head coach Steve Kerr benching Kuminga, even as the 22-year-old forward yearned to spend more time on the court.
The Warriors have been oddly protective of Kuminga, even though he only played in 47 games this season for an average of 24.3 minutes. They like him, but they don't love him. But there is no doubt he can perform well in the right environment.
Sacramento may be that environment. With the Kings, he can work back-to-back alongside one of the best big men in the league, Domantas Sabonis. If he wants more time in games, he would definitely get it with the Kings, who would be happy to let him start all season long. His season averages could blossom and it wouldn't be surprising to see him do better than his career highs of 16.1 points and 4.8 rebounds.
Of course, it would cost the Kings. They would likely have to move on from DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine (who was acquired in a trade that wasn't ideal). But the good news is that those are two players who may interest the Warriors. DeRozan is particularly enticing for Golden State because they want more seasoned and experienced shooting around Steph Curry, especially after the success that came with adding Jimmy Butler.
DeRozan and LaVine might not be attractive to a lot of teams throughout the league, but they would be to the Warriors. That could be key to paving the path for a Kuminga trade.
Ranadivé has long wanted his Kings to be considered the younger and more energetic version of the Warriors. Therefore, why wouldn't he make a deal with Golden State and woo away one of their most promising young stars? If the Warriors aren't interested in keeping and using Kuminga often, the Kings would gladly take him off their hands, no matter how much it costs them.