Kings Offered Monk + Pick for Kuminga. Why Did Warriors Say NO!?

Kings Offered Monk + Pick for Kuminga. Why Did Warriors Say NO!?

Who’s sick of the Jonathan Kaminga story? Who’s sick of reading social media opinions about it? Not me because I’m not really I staying away. I’m like mental health is really important at this time of the year. Well, it’s officially August. August 2nd and Jonathan Kaminga, his situation just still the same. Still the same. Uh Sam with the Athletic had an update that I thought was interesting. It detailed where things stand with Jonathan Kaminga, Sacramento Kings, Warrior Suns, all that [ __ ] First things first, Sam Aik reporting, okay, that the Kings offered Kaminga a threeyear $63 million deal. Now, part of this is like that’s cute that you offer it, but you you can’t do this unless you have the Warriors help in this. The Kings don’t have cap space. Of course, Kaminga is a restricted free agent, meaning they can match any offer. So, the Kings Warriors would have to work out a trade. Okay. Few weeks back, we heard rumblings, right, that were reported that the Kings had offered up Dario Sharich. Oh, yeah. Devin Carter and like a second round pick. I already forgot that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because it was it was easily forgettable. Like that one was like, “Okay, that’s cute.” Well, now the latest is that the Kings increase their offer a little bit. So, it would be a threeyear $63 million deal for Kaminga in a proposal that would send Malik Monk and their 2030 first round pick lottery protected to the Warriors. Now, that deal would require the Warriors to move more salary elsewhere to stay under the first apron, meaning like Buddy Healed or Moses Moody would have to go. Okay. If that pick did not convey the 2030 lottery protected pick, it would then go to the Warriors in 2031, which would get the least they would get the least favorable of the Kings and San Antonio first round pick that year. Okay, those protections, I guess, have been the primary sticking point according to Sam Amik as the Warriors insisted that the first rounder be unprotected and that’s why we’re in this stalemate right now. So you so what is and tell me if I’m wrong if I’m taking this too strong in this direction. So because it is protected, that’s what’s like that’s the hold up. Yeah. Yeah. You really think so though? Like that? No. No. You really think that’s it though? Like don’t you think there’s Don’t you think that’s like part of it? They’re being like, “Oh, we won’t unprotected.” But do you still really believe like they would take on this deal? The Warriors. If I’m the Warriors, I would take it lottery protected. I’m I’m with you. I’m just I’m confused by it because look, let’s let’s break it down like this. The Kaminga situation’s not good. He doesn’t want to be there. He’s been moved in and out. The lineup at times is real unclear. And he hasn’t been perfect either, but it’s clear that they haven’t really committed to him, right? Sure. No contract extension. Now they’re in a situation where he could accept a qualifying offer of $7.9 million and be with them next year. And then become an unrestricted free agent. Oh, by the way, part of that qualifying offer is a no trade clause. So, they couldn’t trade him. What the Warriors want him to do is to sign that two-year $45 million deal so then they could look to trade him later. Yes. They want to use that as a piece to move later. This is not a good situation, right? So I if you’re the Warriors, you need something and this is not nothing. I I think people look at Malik Monk maybe out from outside Sacramento and maybe see something different, but this guy would definitely help the Golden State Warriors. I mean, honestly, as someone in Sacramento Mhm. I don’t love the idea of losing Malik. I know because of what he has meant to this team the last couple of years. And I understand the Kings roster construction is weird and you know you got to give up the talent to get talent but I’m looking at Malik and this guy has played a variety of roles. Yeah. Him in the twoman game pick and roll and also just having the ability to stay confident being being a playmaker, being able to play in different roles, being able to I guess um execute different roles. obviously being put into a position like he was being a primary point guard at some points of uh later of last season. Yeah, it’s it’s not it’s it’s not his strong suit, but he still his mentality and the way that he took that on I thought said a lot about him, his maturity and where he was as a player in this league. So yeah, if you have better pieces around you and then you’re not the one that they are relying on as their main point guard, you’re good. And it’s a great it would be a great situation. Um I don’t love it. Like you just said, I don’t love it either. I think it’s a great deal for the Warriors, but they’re not moving forward with it because of the protection on the pick, which seems interesting. I think from a Malik standpoint, like you think about him coming off the bench for the Warriors and just like an instant spark plug and some scoring off the bench, especially when Curry goes to the bench. Another guy that could playmake. He has the ability to stretch the floor, a great athlete. I mean, I I just Yeah. Oh, I I’ve said it for years like he’s first team all confidence and for a Kings team at times, God, they they like that punch, that spark. How many times he came into a game and was like, “Let’s go.” Like he brings juice to a building. And I think it would be that that would be a big loss for Sacramento, but it would help Golden State a lot. And then a lottery protected pick. Look, I know that’s like not the sexiest thing, but do you want Kaminga to walk for nothing? and and okay, let’s just say in this weird world you you give him a two-year $45 million deal. Are you really getting a way better deal around the trade deadline to move him? I don’t know. And then you have to factor in like just his mood about going back to Golden State at that point too. But that’s the main thing I think because that is where we are at this day and age in the NBA world. When there’s even a little bit of the animosity or a relationship breaking, it’s usually smart to kind of go in the other direction before other teams understand the situation you’re in of being desperate, right? They can talk to his agent. they can, you know, figure it out themselves if um what what the nitty-gritty of the situation is. So, yeah, with all of this, it’s like sometimes you just want to rip the band-aid off and like be away with it. But sometimes there’s also pettiness involved and u and and whether it’s I I’m calling it pettiness right now. I mean, it could truly them believing that they could get more for Kaminga, but their options are limited. It’s like apparently the two teams interested, the Suns and the Kings. Okay, which again says something. I guess the Suns offers according to AIC and ESPN, it’s just like not even war. Like the Warriors are just like dismissive of the Suns. And maybe that’s their way to maybe this is part of the Warriors going, “Hey Suns, up your offer.” The Kings are offering this. You know what I mean? So maybe that’s the case at this point. And the Suns come out of nowhere and offer up a package that’s very intriguing and enticing for the Warriors to accept. But you know, if I’m Sacramento, too, this is it. Why? It’s Mal. If you want to make this move, I you don’t increase the offer. You don’t take away the lottery protections. I think for Sacramento, like putting yourself in a situation where you’re giving up an unprotected first round pick for Kaminga along with Monk. I I just think it’s it’s too pricey for me. Yeah. I And I’m totally with you on that and that’s something we talked about even in that last podcast that we did when we first started talking about some of the rumors. But I think the other angle now that we kind of need to touch on as well um is the Malik Monk angle with Sacramento because that’s true. We already knew heard some things about his name being floated out there, whatever, blah blah blah. But now it feels like more so than ever, it is obvious that like they are looking to move Malik Monk. And not to say that he wouldn’t be a professional and just do whatever the hell he needed to do. It just it’s always weird when you have to go into training camp and start the season with that type of energy around players where their names are. How much do you think his name being in the mix for something like this or just in general? How much do you think it’s because Scott Perry is like, I’m not a Malik Monk guy. He’s like an undersized guard. We need length and size and athleticism. Or is it more like I like Malik, but this is one of the contracts that we can move and has value in the league. I think it’s I think it’s a both. Yep. I think it’s uh like in the middle with that because I think when you look at the future for the Sacramento Kings, are you thinking like he’s part of your future and I feel like with Scott Perry in this organization right now, feel like there’s not too many players that get to be in that category right now on the roster of like like yeah, we could see a future with you. And then you go to the other side of things of being like sell high, right? you know, like however high it can be cuz you don’t know what it’s going to look like in a in a possible [ __ ] season. Yeah. I don’t think if you trade Malik Monk, we’re going to be sitting here like 3 years from now going, “This might be one of the worst trades in, you know, NBA history.” You know what I mean? Like I think it’s a calculated risk and you know, we’ve talked a lot about Kaminga over the last like month or so. And for me with Kaminga, it’s not even that I’m like, “Oh my god, I’m so excited. This is going to be a game changer.” For a team that is like a lottery team, Yeah. a fringe playin team taking a chance on a 22-year-old who has upside has these flashes of go you go oh maybe there’s something there I think it makes sense and A was talking about it in the article too is like the Kings view it as a situation where it’s like all right it’s a pretty reasonable deal it’s not going to put us in a luxury tax then we can move Keegan to the three spot put Kaminga at the four makes us more athletic more dynamic I I think it’s a move a team like Sacramento can make and that’s the other thing I want to add real fast I don’t think if you gave Kaminga a threeear $63 million deal that in a year and a half we’re going to make this is the worst contract in league history. Like I mean it’s not it’s not crazy. Especially in today’s NBA. Um, I think one of the thoughts before I lose it that no, it’s okay that I I always think if I go, gosh, but if he couldn’t figure it out there under a uh as stable as you want to call it from the outside, Golden State Warriors organization stable, you know, one of the players knock out someone at practice. Well, and that’s what I just thought about as I was saying it, but like overall, right, because my counter to this is the Warriors. Go ahead. Thank you. Let me finish the point and then you can get your counter in. So, so I’m like, okay, if he couldn’t figure out there, then what makes us think that he could figure it out underneath the Sacramento Kings and the organization where they’re at today, right? But, but then I counter myself and I go, oo, sometimes it’s always about that new scenery. Plus, he might have learned a lot just even being around a star like Steph Curry that could help him in his growth and development in his career. Counter. My counter is that it’s not like Golden State has been known for a great track record with Steve Kerr of developing young talent. Absolutely. You know, and I think he and that’s not to like crush him as a coach. I’m just looking at like some of the young talent. It’s it’s been a team that’s been trying to maximize the championship window with one of the best players we’ve ever seen in the game and Steph Curry. So, they’ve gone about it differently. And Kaminga has had his chances. He also makes mistakes and I think Kerr’s leash with him is much shorter. And I think they just look at it as like, you know, it’s like this young guy playing with a a veteran team. It’s I think it’s frustrating at times, but I think they also see the flashes of brilliance, too. But, you know, you come to this point where it’s like even if you like him like a like and I’m sure there’s people within that organization who love him and they they believe that he could turn into something. Even if you’re like mixed on him, you also have to factor in like if he doesn’t want to be here, like why why are we doing this? Boom. And and there’s there’s no there’s always a place for that. Like every situation’s different because I think sometimes there’s people that you end up wanting to convince or um you draft them even though they don’t want to uh be a part of your organization. Like there’s going to be situations, but this one feels like this the ship has sailed. Yeah. Like I mean it would be a really shocking thing if we were like man Kaminga’s back on that two-year deal and they’re actually keeping him. they they embraced him and you know he’s playing confident and I think that’s probably a big thing for him. He needs to go somewhere where he’s empowered and feels confident and has the ability to to to make those mistakes, right? Like I think sometimes with young players that’s a tough it’s a tough balance, right? You want to like take them aside, but you also need them to just like figure it out with experience out there. Um but like I think the point you made is valid. It’s like wait, this guy can’t figure it out with the Warriors, with one of the great players ever, right? all this success and he’s going to go to Sacramento or Phoenix and figure it out. Like even the other team involves at one point Chicago. So yeah, I I understand and and the other counter too that I’ve heard from other fans I’ve talked to is like well why are other teams interested it? And I understand the cap space situation, but the Kings don’t have cap space. Why are other teams like jumping up for joy? Love that question to come up with a trade that the Warriors would like Yeah. and get this guy. Why? Yeah. What is it? Do you know the answer? I think they see the flaws, too. I mean I mean there are I mean it’s it’s one of those things too with this Kaminga conversation that’s so funny because um and this just shows how much content I’m consuming like online just thinking about this. But Golden State fans, some love him, some think Currus ruined him and this guy’s gonna be an allar. Then you’ve got the fans are like he’s trash. But then they also like don’t want to like trade him for Malik Monk in the first round pick. Are you kidding me? That’s funny about it. Um, what was my point going to be with Kaminga, other teams, fans, how people feel? Why other teams don’t why other team that was my you you said the the conversation you’ve been reading online is like why other then why don’t other teams want him? Yeah. I don’t know how I just lose my train of thought in this moment. Well, I thought it was still some great points you were making until you lost your train of thought. Damn it. Um, it’s because I get one thing and then I all the I see all the branches of topics I want to hit and then is that like a form of ADD? I don’t know. ADHD maybe. Did you say ADD? ADD. ADHD. I mean, it could be, but it’s okay. Calm down. This is so stupid. I may cut this out. No, I may cut all this out. No, keep it all. Let the world know and see your how my brain is just all over the place at the moment and where it goes to. But anyway, the whole point that we were talking about with other teams noticing his flaws, but Oh, yeah. His fl his flaws. Oh, his flaws. But again, 68 athletic freak. I was watching some YouTube clips of him today just to like, okay, how am I really feeling about him today? I’m like, oh my god. And the the player who popped in my mind thinking about watching his explosiveness sometimes, Sean Kemp. Sean Kemp with the Sonics. Oh my, the rain man just nasty. I The Kings haven’t had an athlete like that in forever. So you see those flashes, you see his ability to move off ball and you start thinking about ooh with ball movement, the offball action, Sabon is dropping a dime. Um you see him defensively at times just be so engaged. It’s not even necessarily like for me it’s not the fit that I think of when I think of Jonathan Kaminga because it’s that’s not to Jonathan Kaminga. That’s more because that’s where this roster is. That’s where this organization is right now um with this season going into this season. And so like I when I think of Jonathan Kaminga, I’m more thinking of like the lowrisk because he is so young, because he is so athletic, and because this team doesn’t have an identity, doesn’t have uh a ne like exactly where they’re going to go next season and what they’re going to be. So it’s like, yeah, you might as well like add to the mumble jumble, but with some youth. I mean, athleticism. Scott Perry. It’s like Scott Perry bought a house that is a big time fixer upper and he gets into it and there’s there’s some potential here. It’s got some You know what? Nice backyard. There’s something here. Right. First when you did say that like Scott Barry bought a house and it’s a fixer uper. I was like how do you know this? Okay. I’m just talking about this example. Well then then you know you start digging around. You get some contra contractors come out and you go oh my god look at this major uh leak underneath the house. The foundation’s a little even if you replace the windows, the house isn’t nice yet. So, Kaminga coming in, it’s not like, here’s how I put it. I think if this deal ends up happening and the Kings and Warriors figure out whatever needs to happen, they they execute this deal. The Kings are going to get clowned and they’re going to get clowned because people are going to if their offseason’s like, “Wow, they added Kaminga and Westbrook. Two guys who can’t hit threes. What is this team? like what is this squad? You’re going to get a lot of that. But I I’m going to maintain it’s not about this year. That’s that’s where I’m at. I’m like, who car? Hey, clown. I don’t care. Clown it. Clown it. I just don’t give a [ __ ] I know. There’s a lot. We have a leak underneath the house right now. I need some new windows. I need some new windows. So many years where like I’m like, “God, the king the kings are always just getting [ __ ] on.” Like, and in times like they really don’t deserve it. just people. It’s like it’s been the reputation over so many years, whatever. And that’s why this year, do it. Don’t care. I literally don’t care because I have no emotional connection to to I guess my expectations and what it’s going to be this year. And I think that can actually end up making it a lot more fun for me. And I’m It’s amazing the mental gymnastics we have to do as Kings fans. It’s like, you know, if this happens, it changes our mindset. Maybe we enjoy the season more, even if it’s bad. um who’s down for the ride? You know, I think we talked about from Golden State’s perspective of like, hey, Malik Monk in a first for Kaminga, like why wouldn’t you do that? Now, the other subplot that a lot of fans have mentioned, Samic added it to his piece was just the hey, they would have to move additional salary and that’s Moody or Buddy Healed. I think, you know, if you’re choosing what to move, I I would move Buddy. I would keep Moody because of his size and length. And I like his game. I feel like he should be a bigger part of their rotation. But you got to remember this is also holding up other moves right now for them, right? We talked about Dan Melton. They’re trying to bring him back. Uh Al Horford’s another guy. GP2 I think was the other one. So there’s all this stuff that is just hanging here because Kaminga and the Warriors are on the front on the same uh on the same page. So August what? Second. A August second. August 2nd. Um maybe maybe the training camp end of September, beginning of October. So the deadline for him to pick up that Thank you. Okay. the qualifying offer. If Kaminga goes, “Hey, you know what? Screw this. I’m not getting what I want. I’m picking I’m doing the qual I’m agreeing to the qualifying offer of 7.9 million.” He has to do that by October 1st, which is the start of October 1st. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So, there’s some time here. But that option I just don’t that one’s tough for me because that could be the desperate one, though. or I’m sorry, like if all else fails. Yeah, I get it. But for him, it’s like, okay, so what if like you don’t really you’re making 7.9 million, you’ve got like a no trade clause in there and then they’re not playing you. What’s that mean for you and unrestricted free agency next year? Are teams lining up in that situation? So it there’s not many great options here. So if I mean, I guess if you’re Kaminga and nothing goes your way, don’t you just take the 2-year whatever because it’s like you’re making I mean yeah, just making like 10 more million or whatever. you don’t totally get to control where you get traded to and I don’t know if that matters for him too like if the you know and I think for him there is appeal in S I know it seems crazy but the appeal in Sacramento is I love Sacramento no but you know as a as an NBA team it’s like the appeal is well they kind of believe in me they’re investing in me a starting spot and more opportunity yes and he may not get that everywhere I mean if he they send him somewhere else where he’s coming off the bench maybe he’s frustrated I don’t know and maybe his agent is telling him Like, hey, you could be a star here. I don’t like I don’t know. I don’t I don’t know this. Go back to the Kings for a second. Sure. What? When you close your eyes. M and you hear an alert come in. Just I want you to picture it. Actually, here we go. Oh, Morgan, close your eyes. We have an update. Malik Monk and a first round pick to the Warriors for Jonathan Kaminga. How do you feel about that from a Sacramento standpoint? This feels like you’re my therapist. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So, I have to dig deep. Um, okay. Uh, you know what? First thing was like a sad about Malik Monk. Malik Monk in a Warriors jersey kind of makes me sick. And you know damn well he’s coming to Sacramento and he’s going to em I think he’ll embrace the heel roll a little bit. I think he’ll get an amazing ovation, but then it’s like it’s over after that. I think he’d have a chip on his shoulder. He’d be trying to go dunk on Sabonis’ head. Oh yeah, of course. I mean, isn’t there obviously with Charlotte for different reasons? Yeah, this one. Yeah. I mean, but it just this is where he’s had his best his some of his best basketball being played in his career here in Sacramento. And he’s wearing a Warriors jersey. Getting traded away. Getting traded away. A team being like, we don’t want you. Hell yeah. But also the fact that he gets to go to the Warriors that. So, I think that that’s a fair one. Um, yeah. I’m just such a big Malik Mount fan over the years. cuz he’s been one of my favorite kings, you know. Absolutely. Um, so it would bum me out if that ended up being the case, but I’d also understand it. I that’s that’s where I’m at. I’m just in full understanding mode. And and I think that that mode I still expect like I don’t know a a style of basketball to be played next year. And when I say that, I don’t think it’s going to be just complete trash. Like I think you do have competitors on this team that do want to play well and if things like that were even done well I mean Jonathan Jonathan Kaminga would also have a chip on his shoulder of like okay it’s my time to shine kind of thing or whatever you know and it’s like well Keegan it needs to be your time to shine too so take that ball back you know it’s just like all those things I think next year we’re going to see if there’s tweaks that are made and people aren’t salty going into the season for the Sacramento Kings um because tweaks are made then yeah I I think we could see some some people that just like want it. There’s like a different type of want even if it is kind of weird. The thing I’m really interested in is if somehow this deal gets worked out and we keep talking, oh, Kaminga is going to come in to be the starter. Okay. Like, well, Demar Rozan’s still on the team. Yeah. Does this trigger another trade? Like maybe there’s something else out there that they they’re waiting on before this deal gets done or something. Because otherwise coming off the bench world, sure, deuce and and you say that, but like you know that’s not the case. We’ve already talked about that. Who’s who’s going to the bench? We’ve already talked about that in a perfect world and that’s what we would want. Oh god, Keegan Murray off the bench. I’d lose my mind. I would lose my mind. Okay, then who’s Shruder starting? I know you say this to me. Is Shruder starting? Yeah. Lavine. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Uh Keegan. Keegan. Uh-huh. Kaminga if he’s here. Uhhuh. It’s a bonus. You don’t get six starters. So who’s not? Well, may but maybe it would be Dear over Kaminga and then Kaminga come off the bench. There is no way. But you you just you say there’s no way. But there’s no way come to Sacramento coming off the bench. But although I agree with Dear coming off the bench, you know how many times we’ve heard like, “Oh, you can’t do that. You can’t do that to him. You can’t do that with his resume. You can’t do that to a vet. You can’t.” And it’s like, yes, you can. You can do whatever is best for the team. And sometimes you have like a really weird put together put together roster that you just have to like [ __ ] with what you got. For the amount of time the collective basketball communities of Sacramento and San Francisco have spent talking about Jonathan Kaminga, this guy better turn out to be an all-star. Oh, stop. I was just laughing about how much time everyone has talked about this that where was a month ago James Ham’s like fourth of July weekend fireworks look out and then like it’s August 2nd you’re like man this is wow this is still going on. Yeah but that’s I mean again that’s also basketball that’s the NBA. I mean how many times have people talked about like number one picks or top five picks lottery pick or whatever and they end up just being a complete bust. You know, like people we talk about things and we we talk about the potential and that’s what we’re talking about with Jonathan Kamiga and even Warriors fans are scared of what that potential can be. Oh, so scared. You got Steph Curry and you’ve won multiple championships. I But I’m just saying why you’re hearing those I know those both those sides and conversations from all these different fan bases about Jonathan Kaminga. Well, I’m curious. Warriors fans, Kings fans, NBA fans, you basketball sickos, how do you think this plays out? Where is Kaminga playing this next season? Let us know in the comments below. Make sure to hit the thumbs up and subscribe. [Music] They tell you what they know. Deuce and mo and deuce and mo the podcast that you

Deuce and Mo break down the Kings’ rumored offer of Malik Monk plus a protected 2030 first-round pick to the Warriors for Jonathan Kuminga and why Golden State isn’t biting. We chat about why Sacramento might actually be willing to move Monk, what Kuminga’s fit could look like in Sacramento, and what the Kings’ plan might be moving forward.
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