Discussions resume between Kings and Warriors
After more than a month of radio silence, Sacramento and Golden State decided to turn the machine back on. California's two neighbors took up language this week around a possible sign-and-trade involving Jonathan Kuminga. Nothing concrete has yet come into being, but the mere fact that the lines have moved is enough to put a little fever back into this burning file of interseason.
Clearly, the Kings did not give up the idea of offering the young wingman. And the Warriors continue to play the watch.
The first round: the sacramentan offer
Sacramento had hit hard in July. Three years, 63 million on the table for Kuminga, matched by a Monk + first protected round 2030 for Golden State. On paper, it's a solid deal. In fact, it didn't seduce the Dubs.
Why? Because Malik Monk, however talented he may be, doesn't really stick with what Golden State is looking for today. His profile intrigues, but his player option to over 21 million for 2027/28 cools the heat. Adding to this the complications of heading and the bill seems a little too salty for Joe Lacob and Mike Dunleavy Jr.
The Salary Cap Puzzle
That's where history gets complicated. A pure and simple Monk-Kuminga swap would make Warriors switch below the first threshold of the tax, and therefore under constraints that would drastically limit their maneuvers. Exit the mid-level exception, farewell flexibility.
For the deal to pass, Golden State should find a third team ready to recover Monk or another contract. Problem: So far, no one has really positioned themselves. And the Warriors did not show a great appetite for this kind of three-band assembly.
As a result, the discussions skate, and each camp camped on its positions.
The 2030 choice, this small stone in the shoe
The other point of friction is the draft. Sacramento wants to keep some security around his 2030 pickup. Golden State, on the other hand, would like lighter or almost non-existent protections. Because between a lottery choice and a pick staggered on 2031 (where the value would still have to be shared with San Antonio), the gap is huge.
This arm around the protections perfectly illustrates the precarious balance of these negotiations: everyone knows that we will have to let go a little, but nobody wants to be the first to give in.
Kuminga, in the middle of this
And meanwhile, Kuminga is waiting. The 22-year-old is not in a hurry to sign at all costs. Its representatives refused the Golden State offer (three years, 75 million, but with an awkward team option over the last season). The idea of simply taking the qualifying offer of 8 million to run to an unrestricted free agency in 2026 remains on the table.
It's a risky bet, but it's also a sign: Kuminga doesn't want to be locked up. He wants play time, a clear role and above all, a margin of manoeuvre for his career.
Next episode
The deadline is October 1. If Kuminga signs its qualifying offer, the show will switch to another dimension. If a deal falls before, Sacramento will finally be able to shout victory. What if nothing happens? Golden State will have to manage a frustrated player in a locker room that doesn't need any extra tension.
Anyway, time is running out. And in the bay as well as in the Californian capital, everyone knows that this case could well write one of the most important chapters of the coming season.
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