The Sacramento Kings are known to be evaluating their options on the trade market, but it appears that they’re not chasing one of the top players available.
ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported that league sources said the Kings “do not have interest” in Atlanta Hawks star guard Trae Young, despite his availability ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
However, that doesn’t mean Sacramento isn’t looking for a splash move. Slater noted that there “remains mutual interest” between the Kings and Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga.
“This past summer, [Kings general manager Scott Perry] went after 6-foot-7 wing Jonathan Kuminga, whose career has stalled with the Golden State Warriors,” Slater stated. “Perry visited Kuminga in Miami when he was a restricted free agent, league sources said, cultivating a relationship that could still lead to a business partnership.”
Kuminga has struggled to find his footing in Golden State’s rotation and hasn’t played since Dec. 18. Still, it sounds like the Warriors won’t let him go easily, as sources told Slater that they “have been posturing in recent days that they would be willing to keep Kuminga past the deadline if nothing appealing materializes.”
Perry reportedly “checked in” with Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy last week, so the sides are still engaged in trade discussions. However, Slater noted that Perry “has expressed reservations about offering the same 2030 protected first-round pick that was on the table for Kuminga this past summer,” while the Warriors “don’t want to take on a multiyear contract they view as negative value,” creating a stalemate. Sacramento veteran guard Malik Monk is viewed as “a nonstarter in these talks.”
The Kings are at the bottom of the league with an 8-29 record, so it can be expected that major changes will be coming shortly. Fans will be anxious to see if landing Kuminga is among those changes before the trade deadline.