If you feel like you're experiencing deja vu, consider it forgiven. Once again, the Golden State Warriors trading Jonathan Kuminga rumors are flowing like it's Summer 2025 all over again. And the Sacramento Kings are back in the mix for the highly sought after forward.
In case you somehow missed it, the big story of the offseason in the NBA was Kuminga not re-signing with the Warriors until he got a contract he liked. It took pretty much the entire summer, but the job got done and Kuminga remains with Golden State. For now, at least.
Reportedly, Kuminga is still at odds with head coach Steve Kerr, primarily over his minutes and usage. Kerr leans heavily on his veterans even if that isn't working. That means young players like Kuminga have problems finding minutes and developing. It's an issue Kings' fans are inimately familiar with.
As such, the rumor is that the Warriors are once again open to trading Kuminga. While bringing him in wouldn't solve all the Kings' problems, doing so would be solid step on the path to a full rebuild. On top of that, the Kings might have a couple of players that Golden State would like to discuss.
The Kings and the Warriors need to work something out
Given how much the Kings have invested in Keegan Murray, and how well he's playing since he returned from injury, that won't be the move. The same is hopefully true for both Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud, two excellent draft picks Sacramento added to the roster in 2025.
The most likely move involves Keon Ellis and Devin Carter. Ellis is the player on the Kings' roster generating the most interest around the league, and the Warriors are no exception. Both Ellis and Carter have huge potential, and would benefit greatly from a change in scenery.
Domantas Sabonis is a longshot who could enter the conversation. The Warriors have two centers, one in his 19th season and the other in his second. They could use a big man who can score and rebound. Plus, they have elite defenders like Draymond Green to make up for Sabonis's deficiencies.
Kuminga playing alongside Murray, Raynaud, Achiuwa, Westbrook, and Clifford is an interesting vision of what the Kings could be. He's brings strong offense and good defense, particularly in one-on-one situations. This is the right first step on a long and arduous rebuild road for Sacramento.