A three-team NBA trade idea sending Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Sacramento Kings has been created.
NBA writer Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report created the following trade idea between the Kings, Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets:
Sacramento Kings receive: Jonathan Kuminga (from Warriors), Buddy Hield (from Warriors)
Golden State Warriors receive: Malik Monk (from Kings), Drew Timme (from Nets), protected 2026 first-rounder (from Kings)
Brooklyn Nets receive: Dario Šarić (from Kings), 2029 second-rounder (from Kings), $1 million (from Kings)
Kuminga “really wants” to play for the Kings, sources told DallasHoopsJournal. The restricted free agent has “zero interest” in playing for the Warriors ever again, sources said.
The Kings are very interested in acquiring Kuminga from the Warriors, sources said. However, Golden State isn’t interested in what Sacramento is offering in sign-and-trade talks.
The Kings have offered Monk and a protected 2030 first-round pick to the Warriors for Kuminga, sources said. Sacramento has told Kuminga and his agent, Aaron Turner, that it’s willing to sign him to a three-year, $63 million deal, with a player option for the third season.
The Warriors offered Kuminga a three-year, $75.2 million deal with a team option in the third season last week. Kuminga declined the offer because he prefers a player option over a team option.
Kuminga’s agent presented a three-year, $82 million offer — including a player option in Year 3 — to the Warriors. The front office, led by general manager Mike Dunleavy, rejected it.
Kuminga doesn’t have a good relationship with Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, sources said. The Kings told Kuminga they view him as an All-Star forward who will receive a high usage rate under head coach Doug Christie, sources said. That was music to Kuminga’s ears.
Kuminga’s qualifying offer is worth $7.9 million. If he signs it, the swingman would have a no-trade clause for the 2025-26 season and enter unrestricted free agency next offseason.
Multiple teams will have cap space next summer to pursue Kuminga, who averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.4 blocks for the Warriors last season in 47 games. He shot 45.4% from the field, 30.5% from beyond the arc and 66.8% from the free-throw line.
The 22-year-old Kuminga was the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He has career averages of 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.4 blocks with the Warriors.
Golden State defeated the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in seven games but lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round in five games. Kuminga averaged 15.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.5 blocks in the 2025 playoffs.
Kerr was forced to play Kuminga in the Rockets series because Jimmy Butler missed Game 3 with an injury.
Kuminga only played in the Timberwolves series because Stephen Curry got injured in Game 1 and missed Games 2, 3, 4 and 5.
All signs point toward Kuminga signing his 2025-26 player option and becoming an unrestricted free agent next offseason since the Warriors are not interested in what the Kings have offered them. This NBA trade idea created by Pincus probably won’t happen, as Golden State is not interested in trading Hield, sources said.
Kuminga has until October 1 to sign the qualifying offer.