Kings stand as the sole suitor! Kuminga's market is colder than last year: scouts say no one can figure him out

On January 10th Beijing time, Warriors reporter Monte Poole reported that league insiders disclosed,among the other 29 NBA teams, only the Kings have expressed interest in bringing in Kuminga.

The Kings being the sole contender itself reveals much — the reasons are for you to ponder. It’s worth noting that Kings GM Scott Perry is keen on clearing out expensive veterans to kick off a rebuild. Sources added that the other 28 teams show minimal interest in Kuminga, making his trade market even quieter than last July. Back then, as a restricted free agent, Kuminga hoped for offers from other teams but ended up empty-handed.

“I hope Kuminga can find his place,” an NBA scout told NBC Sports Bay Area, “but honestly,no one in the league can truly figure him out — not even the Warriors themselves.”

Sources say,on the surface, the Warriors and Kuminga get along reasonably well, but their differences have long been irreconcilable. Communication within the team has dwindled to mere “good mornings” and “good nights,” with cold silence dominating the rest of the time.

The current situation mirrors the past: Kuminga is eager to leave as soon as possible, while the Warriors plan to trade him as soon as he becomes eligible on January 16th. Warriors owner Lacob still appreciates Kuminga, but GM Donlevy hopes for a trade call that could at least bring back a capable role player in exchange for Kuminga.

Until that call arrives (if it ever does), Kuminga and the Warriors must maintain this uneasy truce — outwardly peaceful but internally agonizing.

“This kid is tough,” a former NBA player still working in the league told NBC Sports Bay Area, “He’s not a bad person, just stuck in a tough spot. The Warriors have tried many approaches, but none have worked for the team or for him.”

At the start of the 2025-26 season, Kuminga began as a starter and played 13 straight games, averaging 13.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, shooting 47.8% overall and 32.4% from three. His offensive output was average, but aside from 2 assists, most scoring chances were wasted due to turnovers. Soon after, he missed games with bilateral knee tendonitis.

Kuminga missed 7 games and only returned on November 30 against the Pelicans. After returning, he played 4 more games, starting once, but struggled overall with a 30% shooting rate (12 of 40) and 30.8% from three (4 of 13).

Since December 7, the 23-year-old Kuminga has only appeared off the bench for 10 minutes on December 19 against the Suns and has not played since. Although coach Kerr said this week Kuminga “still has a chance to return to the rotation,” all signs suggest this will only happen if teammates get injured or miss games. Otherwise, Kuminga is likely to remain on the bench until he leaves the Warriors.

The Warriors had hoped Kuminga would find his role: defensively, as an active on-ball defender; offensively, as a penetrator complementing the team’s pass-and-cut system to maximize star Stephen Curry’s offensive impact.

In the Warriors’ ideal scenario, they envisioned Kuminga becoming their version of Caruso, McDaniels, or Osa Thompson— an athletic, defensively disruptive player who can also contribute impressive scoring on offense.

However, Kuminga’s ambition is to be a ball-handling star. At 14, he came from the Democratic Republic of Congo to the U.S. with basketball dreams, repeatedly watching Kobe Bryant highlights and becoming deeply inspired. Similar height and athleticism fueled his aspiration to become like Kobe.

More than nine years have passed, and Kuminga has played 6,118 minutes in the NBA, yet his ball control remains unstable and his shooting inconsistent. Although his decision-making has improved, it is still considered a weakness.

On a Warriors team featuring three Hall of Famers and centered around Curry, Kuminga has no chance to be the team leader. Moreover, there is no evidence he can be the core of a championship-contending team.

“Some players are naturally suited to be the third offensive option,” a team executive said in an interview, “but sometimes they want to be the second or even first option, which is really a stretch for them.Jamal Crawford is a perfect example: whenever pushed into a team’s primary role, he couldn’t lead the team to wins; but as a bench scorer focusing on points, everyone loved him.”

Kuminga is kind-hearted and well-liked by teammates, with Butler acting as a mentor. But the harsh reality is that teams around the league have known for months Kuminga is available, yet the Warriors have not received any trade offers reflecting strong interest.

If any team truly wanted Kuminga, this months-long, joyless drama wouldn’t have dragged on this far.