Despite Jonathan Kuminga's wishes to get to the Sacramento Kings this offseason, the Golden State Warriors have remained steadfast in their desire to re-sign the young forward in free agency before potentially looking to move him once eligible mid-season.
There's numerous reasons as to why the Warriors don't want to explore a trade with the Kings now, starting with a less than desirable trade package and the complexity around base-year compensation rules. But there's reportedly another element at play and one that really shouldn't be relevant at all.
Warriors don't want to trade Jonathan Kuminga specifically to the Kings
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic on Sactown Sports Radio, there's a reluctance by Golden State to trade Kuminga to a direct pacific rival where there is the potential of the 22-year-old becoming a star within their own neighbourhood.
“There is a sense from some people involved that there's a real reluctance not only to finally ‘quit him,’ if you will, but also to see him go up the road to another Northern California NBA team," Amick said. "It’s run by a guy in Vivek Ranadivé, who used to be with the Warriors. And what if Kuminga blows up and becomes a total star?"
The Warriors should be absolutely focused right now on constructing the best roster possible for their short and long-term ambitions. They shouldn't be hypothesizing how their current players might perform at another team, let alone a team like the Kings who have largely been nothing but a dumpster fire over the last 20 years.
If Golden State truly believe Kuminga can become a star, then they should hold tight on trying to re-sign him unless a rival team offers something you believe can make your team better. Which team that is and where Kuminga goes is practically irrelevant -- if he becomes a star they'll look foolish either way.
Some would argue it is relevant because the Kings are a direct rival battling for position in the standings. Well, most fans would probably agree that if a Kuminga-led team is above the Warriors in the standings, then the chances of Golden State actually being a legitimate playoff threat are relatively slim.
The Kings reportedly offered Malik Monk and a future first-round pick to the Warriors earlier in the offseason, having also promised a starting role and a three-year, $63 million contract to the former seventh overall pick.
The Warriors are well within their rights to reject that because they don't think the trade offer is fair value, but they shouldn't be turning it down simply on the basis that it's coming from the Kings.