As the Golden State Warriors have attempted to find a resolution to their Jonathan Kuminga saga, there has been on major discrepancy between the two parties: their view of Kuminga's potential within the NBA.
Now, as the Sacramento Kings intensify their pursuit of the restricted free agent, it has become increasingly clear that they can grant Kuminga his wish of a longer runway and an opportunity for a starting spot, and the Warriors must mourn their inability to provide that to their dynamic young player.
Although it remains uncertain whether the Warriors will decide to move forward with a sign-and-trade this offseason or wait until the trade deadline to deal Kuminga, it is clear that the end of his time in The Bay is nearing, and the unfortunate reality is that it could be for the best.
Kuminga could finally get his wish for a starting spot with the Kings
According to ESPN Insider Marc Spears, the Kings have made an extremely enticing offer to Kuminga, saying on NBA Today that, "[Kuminga] wants to go, and the Kings are offering a starting spot: power forward, next to Keegan Murray, next to [Domantas] Sabonis."
While the Kings are in a tenuous position as an organization, with a number of unclear fits within their rotation, one thing has become clear: Kuminga could get the chance to become a star on their roster.
With the Warriors, Kuminga has already shown his potential to be a dynamic scorer. In games in which he played 30 or more minutes last season, he averaged 26.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists.
Moreover, Kuminga has strongly asserted his view of himself as a potential All-Star, and he feels as though Golden State has stunted him from reaching this potential with the limited role he has been given.
With the acquisition of Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline last season, Kuminga's outlook in The Bay only grew worse, and now the organization must face the prospect of losing one of their lottery picks as a result.
By adding a dynamic young scorer, the Kings could do just enough to put themselves in contention for a play-in spot, and going to an organization that clearly values him could be highly appealing to Kuminga.
Therefore, the task the Warriors have in convincing Kuminga to return to the team only becomes tougher the more the Kings intensify their pursuit of the young forward.