NBA Trade Rumors: Jonathan Kuminga Finally Lands in Sacramento in Proposed Trade

Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors, drives the ball past defender Malik Monk

Two things we know about Jonathan Kuminga at this point: He is fed up with the Golden State Warriors, and the Sacramento Kings and he seem to have a mutual admiration to team up. So let's make that happen. On paper, anyway.

Kuminga is still threatening to take the $7.9 million qualifying offer so that the Warriors will not be able to trade him and he'd become an unrestricted free agent after the season. Sign-and-trade offers and the promise of a better contract for Kuminga by the Kings have been met with disdain by the Warriors.

Sam Amico of Hoops Wire has proposed the following trade scenario that would send the former No. 7 overall pick (2021 NBA Draft) to the Kings:

Sacramento Kings receive:

Jonathan Kuminga

Golden State Warriors receive:

Malik Monk
'Lightly-protected' first round pick

This is one of those, 'Haven't they thought of that, already?' deals. It seems like an obvious solution. But the Warriors haven't seemed interested, wanting instead to try and turn the screws on Kuminga.

Now, with the season quickly closing in, they might want to consider these three realities as a reason to look seriously at this one:

First off, if Kuminga signs the QO, the Warriors are toast. That comes with a no-trade provision, and he would be a goner after the season. The Dubs would get nothing in return.

The 'win-now' Warriors need to pull off this deal for Kuminga

Secondly, the Kuminga stalemate is preventing the Warriors from signing two key pieces, in free agent Al Horford and guard Gary Payton II.

Third, the Warriors are in win-now mode. Plain and simple. They want one more kick at the can for another Steph Curry title, and a first one for Jimmy Butler.

So the Warriors have two choices at this point:

(1) Take one of the multi-year offers they've made Kuminga and turn the second-year team options into player options. With that, they'd retain the ability to trade him during the season.

(2) Take the aforementioned trade with Sacramento. Instead of the unknown of who they might be able to land in an in-season deal, just bring in a player right now, ready to step right into the rotation and provide serious contributions. Monk posted a career-high 17.2 points last season, along with 5.6 assists. Again, the Dubs are in win-now mode, why wouldn't they want to bring in a scoring and playmaking talent like Monk? He's still just 27 and has improved his points and assists significantly in each of the last three seasons.

For the Kings, they would get the young building block they see Kuminga as, while they look to the future.

Perhaps now that the point of no return nears—Oct. 1st is the deadline for Kuminga to choose that qualifying offer and handcuff the Warriors—we'll see saner heads prevail.