The Golden State Warriors have a few free agents waiting to be signed, but first, something needs to happen with Jonathan Kuminga. He turned down a two-year, $45 million contract (with a team option in the second season), and is reportedly considering taking the $7.9 million qualifying offer. To prevent that from being an option, the Warriors need to revisit sign-and-trade talks with the Kings, which could result in Malik Monk moving to San Francisco.
ESPN reported that Phoenix has made the most “lucrative push” for Kuminga, but the Suns don’t have a first-round pick to offer the Warriors. The Athletic reported that Sacramento offered Monk and a 2030 protected first-round pick to Golden State (subscription required), but the Warriors want an unprotected pick.
Maybe if the Kings offer that, Monk could be one of the team’s newest players. From Golden State’s perspective, it’d be better than having Kuminga, who doesn’t have a fit with the Warriors.
Monk, who is 27, averaged a career-high 17.2 points, 5.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 0.9 steals per game this past season, shooting 43.9% from the field and 32.5% from three. He averaged a career-high 31.6 minutes per game, starting 45 of the 65 games he played.
He struggled after the All-Star break, eventually losing his starting spot to Keon Ellis when he missed a few games with an illness. Monk had an opportunity to prove himself with an increased role when Sacramento traded De’Aaron Fox, but the fit with him and Zach LaVine was wacky. It makes sense that the Kings offered Monk in a proposal.
Warriors could receive Malik Monk in sign-and-trade deal with Kings
Monk would give Golden State shooting off the bench, but it could also cost them another shooter to make things work financially for the Warriors. They shouldn’t be willing to get rid of Buddy Hield, who averaged 11.1 points per game last season on 37% shooting from three. He played all 82 games.
ESPN reported yesterday two current S&T offers for Jonathan Kuminga.
One from the Kings offering Malik Monk and an unknown Protected 1st Rd pick.
Trading for Monk would require the Warriors to shed additional salary (likely Buddy Hield) and a third team to facilitate. pic.twitter.com/EYNYsyPLwX
https://twitter.com/gswcba/status/1950963934732898799?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Golden State could also send Moses Moody’s salary out in a deal, too. Either way, additional salary would have to go to a third team to facilitate Monk’s arrival in The Bay.
It’s something that the Warriors need to consider, especially since there is a chance Kuminga could pick up the qualifying offer. That’d be a risky move for him, but things have continued to take a turn for the worse, so Golden State can’t count that out. The Warriors would automatically be screwed if that happened.
