With just two days remaining before the Golden State Warriors’ media day on Monday, Sept. 29, the franchise remains uninterested in a sign-and-trade proposal from the Sacramento Kings for restricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported Saturday.
The Kings reportedly attempted to re-engage the Warriors in talks that would have sent Kuminga to Sacramento, but the Warriors’ position remains firm.
“Golden State has made it clear that it has no interest in absorbing Malik Monk’s contract from Sacramento, irrespective of Monk’s talents, if it means taking on Monk’s $21.5 million player option for the 2027-28 season,” Fischer wrote in The Stein Line newsletter.
Kings Persist Despite Roadblocks
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, discussions between the two teams resumed earlier this week after a month-long lull. The Kings proposed a three-year, $63 million contract for Kuminga, including veteran guard Monk and a lottery-protected 2030 first-round pick as part of the package.
“And while no significant progress was made, it’s notable that the Kings…aren’t giving up on bringing him to Sacramento this season,” Amick reported.
Despite the Kings’ persistence, the Warriors have repeatedly emphasized that Monk’s contract is a non-starter. The looming 2027 summer, when stars like Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Davis and Donovan Mitchell could become free agents, further motivates Golden State to maintain financial flexibility.
GettyGiannis Antetokounmpo with Stephen Curry remains the Golden State Warriors’ dream.
“As much as Golden State hopes to compete for championships over the next two seasons with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and [Jimmy] Butler all on the same contractual timeline, it is also laser-focused on having financial flexibility after the 2026-27 season,” Fischer wrote. “Mark that flexibility quest down as a key reason why the Warriors are unwilling to make Year 3 a player option in their three-year offers to Kuminga.”
Team Option vs. Player Option
GettyJonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors remains a restricted free agent with only a few days left before training camp.
The core of the standoff remains the Warriors’ insistence on team options in Kuminga’s potential contracts. Offers currently on the table include a two-year, $45 million deal and a three-year, $75.2 million contract with $48.3 million guaranteed in the first two years. Both contain a team option in the final season, a major sticking point for Kuminga’s camp, which has lobbied to convert the final year into a player option.
“The Warriors likewise do not appear willing to revamp the most recent offers they’ve made to Kuminga,” Fischer reported. “The two most notable are a three-year pact worth $75 million and a two-year pitch worth $45 million — both of which feature a team option rather than a player option in the final season. Kuminga’s camp has pushed hard to try to turn those options into player options, while Warriors officials maintain that they will not come off their team option-or-bust stance.”
Deadline Approaches
Unless the Kings propose a significantly improved package, Kuminga faces a pivotal choice: accept one of the Warriors’ current offers with a team option, or take the $7.9 million qualifying offer and gain unrestricted free agency next offseason.
With media day looming and training camp set to begin, the standoff adds urgency to Golden State’s offseason plans, leaving the team and its fans anxiously awaiting a resolution.
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