The Kings have two names sitting near the top of their radar for next offseason, and Jonathan Kuminga is one of them. If Sacramento gets serious enough to bring him in, though, the cleanest path means De'Andre Hunter is the player who has to move on.
That’s where the Kings’ roster picture gets tricky. Kuminga’s name has been tied to Sacramento for more than a year, dating back to a stretch when his contract talks with the Warriors were going badly and he reportedly had the Kings on his list of possible landing spots. Since then, the path has changed plenty - he re-signed with Golden State, got traded to the Hawks, and is now with the Wolves - but Sacramento still seems to be in the conversation.
Kuminga’s agent recently appeared on a podcast and suggested that Kuminga could use the player option in the second year of his Wolves deal to reach unrestricted free agency. In that same interview, the Kings were mentioned again. If that scenario plays out and Sacramento makes a run at him, Hunter is the name that jumps out as the most obvious casualty.
The money piece is the first issue. Hunter and Zach LaVine are both set to have their contracts expire after this season, and if the Kings want enough flexibility to land Kuminga, Hunter’s deal is the one that likely has to disappear. Sacramento would need the salary room, and Hunter is the easier fit to sacrifice.
Then there’s the position overlap. Kuminga is a combo forward, and so is Keegan Murray.
The Kings have already made a long-term commitment to Murray, which makes the math pretty simple: Murray stays, and Kuminga isn’t coming in to sit on the bench. That leaves Hunter squeezed out of the picture.
The rest of the roster only tightens that squeeze. Sacramento will also want opportunities at small forward and shooting guard for younger pieces like Nique Clifford, Emanuel Sharp, Daeqwon Plowden, and Alex Karaban. With those minutes already spoken for, Hunter becomes the odd man out both financially and in terms of playing time.
For a Kings team still working through its rebuild, the decisions are starting to get sharper. Hunter is on an expiring contract, so even without Kuminga in the equation, he’s likely gone by the end of the season anyway. Sacramento needs the cap space and roster flexibility too much to keep everything intact.
In Other News...
Nique Clifford Is Already Feeling Pressure In Sacramentos Crowded Wing Battle
Nique Clifford arrived in Sacramento as the No. 24 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, acquired in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the early part of his rookie season was a reminder that first-round status does not guarantee an easy path. He needed time to adjust, but there were encouraging signs along the way, especially in how his three-point shooting started to come around as he found his footing.
The next step may be tougher than the first. Clifford heads into the 2026-2027 season facing a crowded wing rotation that includes returning veterans plus two new rookies, Alex Karaban and Emanuel Sharp, both of whom bring reputation and rsum as shooters and defenders. For a player still trying to turn rookie-year growth into a real role, the margin for error in Sacramento is already looking thin. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Rebuild Faces A Brutal League Verdict This Season
The Kings head into the 2026-27 season in a familiar but uneasy place, trying to balance a long-term rebuild with the hope that a few returning pieces and internal growth can keep the floor from collapsing. Around the league, though, the outlook has not been kind. Several outlets, including The Ringer and Clutch Points, have already pegged Sacramento for a rough year, a reflection of how far the franchise still has to go before it can be taken seriously as a rising team again.
For Sacramento, the frustrating part is that this is the stage where patience matters most, even as outside expectations keep sinking. Injuries have slowed the process, young players still need time, and the front office is clearly planning for the bigger picture rather than a quick fix. There may be reasons to watch the Kings closely anyway, but the broader verdict from the national conversation is blunt: this season looks like another grind in a rebuild that is still waiting for proof of progress. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Have One Chance To Shut Down This Brutal National Take
The Kings enter the new season with plenty to prove after national projections left them near the bottom of the NBA standings, a harsh read that has landed on both ends of the roster. Sacramento is asking for more from a group that has been questioned for its offensive talent and its ability to hold up defensively, while also leaning on the return of Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis as it tries to steady the rotation.
Ben Simmons is part of the answer on the defensive side, with the former All-Defensive First Team guard expected to bring some much-needed resistance to a group that needs it. There is also optimism around rookie Darius Acuff Jr. adding offense, but for the Kings, the bigger task is turning all of those pieces into a team that looks nothing like the easy target many around the league think it will be. [Read more 🡒]