The longer that Jonathan Kuminga's restricted free agency drags on, the more likely it becomes that the former seventh overall pick will remain with the franchise on a short-term deal.
The Sacramento Kings emerged as a strong contender for Kuminga last week, but that appears to have died down after the Warriors balked at an offer of Dario Saric, Devin Carter and two second-round picks.
A deal between the two pacific rivals is still the most likely scenario if Kuminga is indeed moved by the Warriors, yet perhaps it will be up to one of the Kings own players to make an ideal trade possible.
Could Keegan Murray be considering his future with the Kings?
Having shown no interest in Sacramento's low-ball offer nor reportedly keen on dynamic guard Malik Monk, Golden State's dream target would undoubtedly be former fourth overall pick Keegan Murray.
Clearly the Kings aren't going to be interested in a Kuminga-Murray swap, unless the latter was to perhaps voice his displeasure at the state of the franchise a year before he becomes a restricted free agent.
The idea of that isn't as far-fetched as it may seem, with Sam Vecenie of The Athletic raising its potential when looking at the Kuminga situation on the latest episode of the Game Theory Podcast.
"If you're Keegan Murray and his representation and you see how this roster is shaping up, are you sure that you want to be there? Obviously he'll be a restricted free agent next summer and they can match whatever they want, but are you excited about not shooting?
Vecenie certainly has a point, noting the score-first nature of almost every single one of Sacramento's key players. DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine are certainly just that, as is Monk who averaged a career-high 14.4 field-goal attempts last season. Domantas Sabonis and the recently-acquired Dennis Schroder may have more playmaking/passing to their game, but even they will see their fair share of shots.
It's hard to see where Murray would fit into that, having already seen his field-goal attempts drop from 12.7 to 10.8 last season, including nearly one 3-point attempt less per game. Adding Kuminga to the mix would only complicate matters further, leaving Murray in an interesting position as he tries to make the most money possible on a rookie extension.
It's not hard to envision that the 24-year-old would be a great fit on the Warriors, playing off the gravity of Stephen Curry and spotting up in the corner or on the wings as Jimmy Butler draws defenders in the paint.
But instead of asking Sacramento specifically for Murray, Golden State's best hope may be for he and his representation to actually voice their uncertainty over signing a long-term extension with the franchise. Maybe then Scott Perry and the front office will be motivated to make a deal, but until then it appears like the Warriors will have little choice but to bring Kuminga back next season.