Free agency has all but slowed to a crawl as most notable players have signed. However, the restricted free agent (RFA) market has been dry, with just three RFAs signing contracts worth more than the league minimum, and only two with values north of $10M.
Jonathan Kuminga, one of the marquee names remaining on the market, has been frequently linked to the Kings over the last several months, and recently met with Scott Perry and Doug Christie. The Kuminga to Sacramento rumors have taken many different forms, including a sign-and-trade.
Sam Amick addressed the situation on the Warriors Plus Minus podcast today. There, Amick reported that the Warriors “weren’t interested in Carter or DeRozan. As of a couple weeks ago, the Kings weren’t willing to pay Kuminga into the $20 million range (AAV).”
Kings-related details on a potential Kuminga trade, from @sam_amick:
“My understanding is the Warriors weren’t interested in Carter or DeRozan. As of a couple weeks ago, the Kings weren’t willing to pay Kuminga into the $20 million range (AAV).”
(via Warriors Plus Minus)
— Evan Giddings (@evanAgiddings) July 29, 2025
There are several points to note in this quote, and both make some sense. First, it is not surprising that the Warriors are not interested in DeMar DeRozan. While he fits the bill of a high feel player that could theoretically fit the Golden State System, adding another non-shooter to a lineup already featuring Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler is probably not all that enticing.
Additionally, much of the intrigue around keeping Kuminga stems from wanting some sort of steward for the next era of Warriors basketball. Swapping him for DeRozan, who turns 36 in a week, leans even further into what is a very old core – not something their ownership seems fond of.
Yeah he’s not trading this guy lol pic.twitter.com/TBKou1iMO6
— Niko (@nikotaughtyou) May 17, 2025
The Warriors’ lack of interest in Devin Carter is a little more puzzling. The former lottery pick essentially lost his first season to a shoulder injury, playing in just 11 MPG over 36 games.
More recently, Carter had an up-and-down Summer League and did not exactly nail his audition to run the point, but showed more than enough to be a worthwhile bet as a connector and plus defender, which is precisely what drew the pre-draft comparisons to Jrue Holiday and Derrick White. His jump shot will be a key swing skill, but the bones of an incredibly valuable player are there.
Since the Warriors are reportedly looking for a quality young player and first round pick in any deal for Kuminga, Carter – a lottery pick just over one year removed from being considered the steal of the draft – represents a nice compromise. At some point, Golden State may realize that Sacramento’s previous offer of Carter, newly acquired Dario Saric, and second-round picks was the best they were going to receive.
Sacramento’s unwillingness to offer Kuminga a contract at more than $20M AAV several weeks ago made sense then and makes even more sense today. Kuminga does not appear to have received an offer north of $20M (Golden State has offered $20M, but he is seeking a value closer to $30M AAV). The market dictates the price, and no one has gone above $20M. Why should Sacramento bid against themselves?
Further complicating matters is the base year compensation rule, which will affect salary matching possibilities depending on Kuminga’s starting salary and Sacramento’s First Apron hard cap. There are other important decisions for Sacramento, as well, as extensions for Keegan Murray and Keon Ellis are (hopefully) in the works.
Something will have to give in this saga at some point. Whether that is Kuminga heading to Sacramento remains to be seen, but the chips on the table (and the other side’s thoughts on those chips) become clearer every day. For now, it seems that the Kings remain actively engaged in these talks while putting the finishing touches on their roster for the upcoming season.