As training camp approaches on September 20, 2025, the Golden State Warriors find themselves in a precarious position with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. The 22-year-old forward, who turns 23 next month, has rejected the team’s latest offers—including a three-year, $75.2 million deal with a team option in the third year—citing a lack of commitment to his long-term role alongside stars like Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green. With the October 1 deadline for Kuminga to accept his $7.9 million qualifying offer looming, whispers of a sign-and-trade have intensified, leaving Warriors Nation reeling. Reports indicate the front office, led by GM Mike Dunleavy Jr., is seriously considering two shocking trade packages from California rivals: the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns. These deals could reshape the Warriors’ roster and cap situation, but they come at a steep emotional cost for fans who see Kuminga as a cornerstone of the post-Curry era.
The stalemate stems from mismatched visions. Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, has pushed for a player option in any extension, emphasizing a defined role that Golden State hasn’t fully promised amid its win-now mentality. The Warriors, meanwhile, view Kuminga as a tradeable asset, with their offers designed to preserve flexibility under the NBA’s second apron rules. As ESPN’s Anthony Slater and Shams Charania reported, the team has already rejected multiple proposals from Sacramento and Phoenix, but with camp starting soon and free agents like Al Horford waiting in the wings, Dunleavy may have no choice but to pull the trigger. Here’s how these two potential trades could unfold, why they’re viable, and what a compromise might look like if Kuminga stays.
Trade Scenario 1: Kuminga to the Sacramento Kings in a Three-Team Deal
The Kings have been the most aggressive suitor, offering up to four years and nearly $90 million for Kuminga with a player option in the final year—far more security than Golden State’s proposals. Sacramento sees Kuminga as the athletic wing to pair with De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, providing scoring punch and defense without blocking their timeline. To make it work, the Warriors would likely need a third team like the Brooklyn Nets to balance salaries and assets, as detailed in recent trade hypotheticals.
Proposed Deal:
- Kings Receive: Jonathan Kuminga (sign-and-trade from Warriors), Buddy Hield (from Warriors)
- Warriors Receive: Malik Monk (from Kings), Drew Timme (from Nets), protected 2026 first-round pick (from Kings)
- Nets Receive: Dario Šarić (from Kings), 2029 second-round pick (from Kings), $1 million cash (from Kings)
This setup keeps Sacramento under the luxury tax with 14 players, allowing Kuminga to ink his four-year, $82.8 million pact starting at $19.3 million in 2025-26. For Golden State, Monk’s scoring off the bench (averaging 15.4 points last season) adds immediate firepower, while Timme’s non-guaranteed deal provides filler. The protected 2026 first (top-8) conveys or rolls over to a 2027 pick in the 2-16 range, giving the Warriors future ammo without immediate risk.
Why It Works for the Warriors: They trigger the second-apron hard cap but gain $5.7 million in taxpayer mid-level exception space to chase Horford, plus minimum deals for De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, and Seth Curry. The Kings’ reluctance to include an unprotected first has been a sticking point—Golden State wants one outright—but this protected version could be the compromise if Dunleavy prioritizes cap relief. Issues? Monk’s contract extends one year beyond Curry’s, and the Warriors might swap Moses Moody for Hield to sweeten their outgoing salary matching (only half of Kuminga’s new deal counts against them).
Warriors fans would be stunned to see Kuminga head 90 miles east, but this deal nets a proven scorer and draft capital, potentially positioning Golden State for a deadline splash.
Trade Scenario 2: Straight Swap with the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix, desperate for frontcourt depth behind Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, has floated a simpler two-team sign-and-trade, offering Royce O’Neale, Nick Richards, and a haul of seconds for Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis. The Suns’ proposal tops out at four years, $81.7 million with a player option, starting at $19 million next season—appealing to Kuminga, who craves a starring role in their contention push.
Proposed Deal:
- Suns Receive: Jonathan Kuminga, Trayce Jackson-Davis
- Warriors Receive: Royce O’Neale, Nick Richards, three second-round picks (2026 from DAL/OKC/PHI; 2029 from PHX; 2032 lower of PHX/HOU), $5 million cash
This keeps Phoenix $680,000 shy of the first-apron hard cap with 14 players, while Golden State hits the first apron but unlocks $4.5 million of the taxpayer MLE for Horford and vets. O’Neale’s 3-and-D prowess (37.6% from deep last year) fits Steve Kerr’s system perfectly, and Richards (a 7-footer averaging 9.7 points and 8.0 rebounds) could be a slight upgrade over Jackson-Davis in rim protection.
Why It Works for the Warriors: Shorter contracts for O’Neale and Richards align better with Curry’s timeline than Monk’s deal, and the cash infusion helps with luxury tax hits. No first-rounder is a downgrade from Sacramento’s offer, but it’s cleaner—no third team needed—and allows Golden State to dump Jackson-Davis without losing Hield’s shooting. The Suns lack draft capital, so these seconds (including a potential high 2026 pick) are the best they can muster.
The shock factor here? Trading two young bigs (Kuminga and Jackson-Davis) to a direct Western Conference foe, potentially strengthening Phoenix’s title odds. Dunleavy has balked at this before, per reports, viewing Richards as only a marginal improvement. Still, with Kuminga’s camp intrigued by Phoenix’s pitch, it could gain traction if sign-and-trade talks heat up.
A Viable Compromise to Keep Kuminga in the Bay
If trades fizzle—deemed “unlikely” without major concessions—the Warriors could salvage the situation with a middle-ground extension. Turner’s messaging is clear: Swap the team option for a player option on the $75.2 million deal, and Kuminga signs immediately, fully bought in for a fifth ring chase. This guarantees him $48.3 million over two years, with the third at his discretion—potentially netting $15 million more than a shorter pact if he outperforms.
Alternatively, the fully guaranteed three-year, $54 million no-options offer (averaging $18 million annually) removes trade veto strings, letting both sides reassess after two years without extension barriers. Kuminga gets security; Golden State avoids overcommitting past 2027 (Curry/Green’s window). Why not the two-year, $45.1 million without options? It buys time but can’t be extended, risking another saga. The sides aren’t far apart—Kuminga would dip to $20 million yearly for a player option—so a deal feels inevitable unless egos prevail.
Kuminga’s Short-Term Leverage: The Qualifying Offer Nuclear Option
Kuminga’s ace is the $7.9 million qualifying offer by October 1—his only unilateral move, granting a no-trade clause for 2025-26 and unrestricted free agency in 2026. It forfeits $40 million-plus in guarantees but forces the Warriors’ hand: Trade him now or lose him for nothing next summer. Acquiring teams lose his Bird rights, capping 2026 offers at $9.9 million unless cap space opens (only 6-7 teams projected), far below the $15.1 million mid-level.
This lose-lose gambit pressures Dunleavy to act, but it’s a last resort—Kuminga risks a diminished market, while Golden State pivots to youth like Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody. As one X post lamented, “The Warriors need to trade Kuminga for the best return possible,” but fans hope it’s to a contender, not a rival.
In the end, these trades shock because they signal the Warriors’ readiness to move on from a homegrown talent amid apron constraints. But with Curry’s clock ticking, Dunleavy’s calculus is clear: Rings over sentiment. Warriors Nation, brace yourselves—the deadline could deliver heartbreak or a sneaky upgrade.