Jonathan Kuminga’s reported $25 million annual asking price could complicate a move to the Kings, despite Sacramento’s improved cap flexibility and continued interest in adding young talent this offseason.
In general manager Scott Perry’s words, the Sacramento Kings are building an identity.
After finishing fourth-worst in the league with a disastrous 22-60 record last season, the Kings earned high lottery odds. They made good use of them by landing Darius Acuff Jr. with the 7th overall pick.
Now that the young prospect is performing exceptionally well in the Summer League, Sacramento needs to look beyond and bring players who will help them build the identity Perry wants.
However, as the free agency market has it, Jonathan Kuminga's reported asking price may ultimately determine whether the Kings can become a serious landing spot in his free agency.
The forward is reportedly seeking a contract worth around $25 million per season, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer. That figure sits well above what Sacramento can comfortably offer without a sign-and-trade, even after improving its financial flexibility this offseason.
Can Kings Provide What Kuminga Wants?
The Kings reshaped their cap situation by waiving DeMar DeRozan, leaving only $10 million of his 2026-27 salary guaranteed. According to Spotrac's Keith Smith, that move pushed Sacramento below both the luxury tax and the first apron.
"They're now under both aprons comfortably," Smith said on Sactown Sports' The Drive Guys. "They're about $4 million under the luxury tax, they're about $9 million or so under the first apron."
That flexibility gives Sacramento options, but not enough to meet Kuminga's reported demands outright.
Smith estimated the Kings could use roughly $8-9 million of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception while remaining below the first apron. If Sacramento stretches DeRozan's remaining guaranteed salary, the club could potentially access the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception worth just over $15 million.
Even that falls well short of the approximately $25 million annually Kuminga is reportedly seeking.
Smith believes that the gap could become less significant if the forward's market continues to shrink.
"I do think there's a chance we could still see him with the Kings," he said. "Especially again as his market kind of dries up there."
The Los Angeles Lakers have also been linked to Kuminga, though they face financial challenges of their own. Fischer reported the Lakers have discussed a sign-and-trade framework involving Jarred Vanderbilt and a 2032 first-round pick, but the Atlanta Hawks have reportedly shown little interest in taking on Vanderbilt's contract.
Khobi Price of the California Post previously reported that the Lakers' offer to Kuminga was closer to $10 million per season. It creates another sizable gap between the player's expectations and what interested teams appear willing to pay.
For the Kings, a similar short-term arrangement could become realistic if Kuminga prioritizes rebuilding his market over securing his desired salary immediately.
Still, Smith urged caution when discussing Sacramento's offseason priorities. He believes the organization should avoid limiting opportunities for its young core, including Darius Acuff Jr., Keegan Murray, Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud.
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