The Golden State Warriors are standing their ground in early trade discussions with the Sacramento Kings, showing no willingness to part with their sharpshooting duo of Buddy Hield and Moses Moody in any potential sign-and-trade deal centered around Jonathan Kuminga. As negotiations heat up, the Warriors’ front office is making it clear: they’re not budging on their key assets.
According to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, the Kings initiated the latest round of talks, probing what it would take to pry Kuminga from Golden State’s roster. However, the Warriors have firmly rebuffed Sacramento’s overtures, particularly when it comes to including Hield or Moody in the deal. A package involving Kings’ guard Malik Monk also appears to be a non-starter for the Dubs.
“So, some details on this — Kings reached back out to Warriors and talked about what it would take. Golden State still isn’t interested in what SAC has to offer with Monk package,” Siegel reported. “As both Sam and us have also reported, Dubs don’t see trading Hield/Moody as a win right now.”
Hield, a career 40% three-point shooter, and Moody, a rising talent with a 37% clip from beyond the arc last season, are seen as critical pieces for the Warriors’ immediate and long-term plans. The team’s reluctance to move them underscores their confidence in the duo’s ability to contribute to a playoff push, especially as Hield’s mid-level exception (MLE) contract could gain even more trade value closer to the deadline.
On the other side, The Volume’s Jason Timpf has a different perspective, urging Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. to reconsider the team’s stance. Timpf argues that packaging Kuminga with Hield to secure a protected first-round pick and upgrade the roster could be a savvy move. “I think using Kuminga to substantially upgrade from Buddy Hield and get a protected first round pick back would be about as good as the Warriors can do with Kuminga,” Timpf wrote. “The time to get (a) substantial asset return for him was years ago. That time has passed.”
However, the Warriors’ front office appears to disagree, prioritizing roster continuity and the proven shooting prowess of Hield and Moody over a potential deal centered on Kuminga. For now, Kuminga’s trade value will need to stand on its own to entice Sacramento. If the Warriors hold firm on their stance against including Monk, they may need to get creative—potentially involving a third team to reroute him—or risk stalling the talks altogether.
As the trade deadline looms, all eyes will be on Golden State’s next move. Will they stick to their guns and keep their sharpshooting duo intact, or will Sacramento sweeten the deal enough to change their minds? For now, the Warriors are sending a clear message: Hield and Moody are off the table, and any Kuminga trade will need to meet their high standards.