Keon Ellis Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Rumors: Kings, Wolves, White, Mavs, Murphy, Kuminga

December 12th, 2025 at 10:47am CST by Luke Adams

Moving Zach LaVine‘s maximum-salary contract without attaching a draft pick as a sweetener could be a challenge for the Kings, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, who suggests that Sacramento general manager Scott Perry views the team’s draft assets as a valuable part of a potential rebuild and isn’t inclined to move them.

With that in mind, Amick suggests there’s a “very real chance” that LaVine and other Kings veteran trade candidates, including Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan, stay in Sacramento beyond this season’s trade deadline. As Amick points out, Perry has preached patience as he attempts to turn the Kings’ roster into one capable of contending.

League sources tell The Athletic that Sabonis has “heeded that call” for patience and is prepared to remain in Sacramento for the foreseeable future. The Wizards, Suns, and Bulls are among the teams that have had interest in Sabonis in the past and could still be suitors, according to Amick, but like LaVine, the veteran center won’t be easy to move due in part to his sizable contract.

Outside of the Kings’ veteran stars, guard Keon Ellis continues to be the trade candidate who holds the most intrigue around the NBA, but the team hasn’t ruled out the possibility of hanging onto Ellis and working out an extension when he becomes eligible for one later this season, Amick writes. While that may be the case, I have to think that Ellis would have a more consistent role in Sacramento’s rotation if that path is really the team’s preferred outcome.

Here are several more trade-related items of interest from around the Western Conference:

A team source confirmed to The Athletic that the Timberwolves have interest in Bulls guard Coby White, as was reported on Thursday. However, because White will likely be in line for a significant raise in the offseason, the Wolves may view him as a potential rental, which would make them less inclined to give up the sort of return Chicago would be seeking, Amick explains.
While many NBA observers were anticipating a fire sale in Dallas following the Mavericks‘ slow start, one league source who spoke to Amick said there have been some indications that the Mavs are still mulling the possibility of pursuing upgrades on the current core this season rather than becoming a deadline seller. As Amick points out, Dallas is technically in a play-in spot right now at No. 10 in the West, so if the team expects to get Kyrie Irving back from his ACL tear in the coming months, the idea of making a postseason push isn’t outlandish.
While the Warriors have long had interest wing Trey Murphy III, Amick has gotten “mixed” feedback on what the Pelicans think of Jonathan Kuminga, who would likely be a salary-matching piece in any Golden State offer for Murphy.
Meanwhile, while Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area tweeted earlier this week that the Suns are still a potential suitor for Kuminga, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 reports (via Twitter) that Phoenix’s level of interest in the Warriors forward has dropped since the offseason. Part of what appealed to the Suns when they considered Kuminga during the offseason was the idea of getting him on a four-year contract, Gambadoro explains, so acquiring him on his current short-term deal holds less appeal.

Charania’s Latest: Mavs, Pacers, T. Young, Nets, Kuminga, Kings

December 9th, 2025 at 8:37am CST by Luke Adams

While the Mavericks are expected to explore trade options involving star forward/center Anthony Davis, he isn’t the only notable Dallas player who could be on the move this winter, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Sources tell Charania that the Mavs are also open to exploring the trade markets for center Daniel Gafford, swingman Klay Thompson, and point guard D’Angelo Russell.

Gafford signed a three-year, $54.4MM extension over the summer that will take effect in 2026/27, but remains trade-eligible because that deal didn’t exceed the extend-and-trade limits; Thompson is earning $16.7MM this season and is owed a $17.5MM guaranteed salary in 2026/27; and Russell is making $5.7MM in 2025/26, with a $6MM player option for next season.

As Charania observes, Thompson was sold on joining the Mavericks during the 2024 offseason in large part because he’d get to team up with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. But Doncic is no longer on the roster and Irving has been sidelined for over nine months due to an ACL tear. The Mavs are off to a 9-16 start this season and teams around the NBA know that Thompson would prefer to be on a team close to title contention, Charania continues.

While head coach Jason Kidd and minority owner Mark Cuban have some input in personnel decisions, Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi, who are currently running the Mavs’ front office as co-interim general managers, have been empowered to lead conversations about the team’s future, says Charania. Both Finley and Riccardi are expected to be candidates to keep the GM job on a permanent basis when the club conducts a full-fledged search after the season, sources tell ESPN.

Here are a few more items of interest from Charania’s latest ‘Inside Pass’ article for ESPN.com:

The Pacers are engaged in trade talks in the hopes of finding a long-term answer at the center position, Charania reports. The team has been deploying Isaiah Jackson, Jay Huff, and Tony Bradley in the middle so far this season in the wake of Myles Turner‘s departure in free agency.
While there has been some trade speculation centered around Trae Young this fall, the Hawks believe the star point guard will “elevate” the team once he returns from a sprained MCL that has kept him on the shelf since late October, according to Charania, who hears from sources that Young is optimistic about returning to action later this month.
The Nets are still the only NBA team with cap room and continue to have trade discussions about how they might use that remaining room to take on salary along with additional assets, sources tell ESPN. Charania adds that Brooklyn may end up working with Cam Thomas‘ representatives to find a trade destination that works for the fifth-year guard, who has an implicit no-trade clause after accepting his one-year qualifying offer in September.
Charania confirms that the Warriors will explore trades involving Jonathan Kuminga, who is eligible to be moved as of January 15, and that the Kings are being “open-minded” about possible deals involving most players on their roster, with Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Keon Ellis among the potential targets being monitored by rivals.

Scotto’s Latest: Ellis, Pacers, Sabonis, Morant, Wolves, More

November 26th, 2025 at 10:11am CST by Luke Adams

With Keegan Murray very unlikely to be traded this season due in part to the poison pill provision, the most coveted player on the Kings‘ roster might be guard Keon Ellis, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who says executives across the NBA have been surprised by Ellis’ limited role so far this fall.

Ellis started 28 of his 80 games last season and averaged 24.4 minutes per night. The 25-year-old contributed 8.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game, with a .489/.433/.849 shooting line, and the sub-.500 Kings had a +3.0 net rating during his time on the court. However, so far this fall, he’s averaging just 17.4 MPG.

According to Scotto, the Pacers have been one of several teams to convey interest in Ellis, having also targeted him in the past. Ellis is in the final year of his current contract and will become an unrestricted free agent in 2026 if he’s not signed to a new deal after he becomes extension-eligible in February.

As Scotto writes, the trade market for Kings veterans like Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan has been “relatively quiet” so far, despite a report suggesting the Clippers have some interest in DeRozan.

[RELATED: Bucks Keeping Eye On Zach LaVine]

Kings center Domantas Sabonis could make for an interesting trade chip, but he’s currently sidelined due to a knee injury and his production had slipped a little before he went down. According to Scotto, Sabonis has been disappointed by Sacramento’s declining win totals since their playoff season in 2022/23 and hasn’t always loved his usage under head coach Doug Christie.

Here’s more NBA chatter from Scotto:

The Grizzlies have consistently rebuffed trade inquiries on Ja Morant in recent weeks following a confrontation between the point guard and head coach Tuomas Iisalo, league sources tell HoopsHype. While a number of rival teams have been curious about a buy-low opportunity on Morant and will continue to monitor the situation, Memphis isn’t eager to kick-start a rebuild and recognizes that Morant wouldn’t command a significant return on the trade market at this point, Scotto explains.
The Timberwolves, who were among the teams to inquire on Morant, are keeping an eye out for opportunities to upgrade at point guard, per Scotto. Minnesota obviously has zero interest in moving Anthony Edwards in any deal and also considers rising forward Jaden McDaniels “close to untouchable,” sources tell HoopsHype.
The Celtics had hoped to pursue Nets center Day’Ron Sharpe in free agency, but he received a more lucrative offer from Brooklyn ($6.25MM for this season) than the minimum-salary offer he would’ve gotten from Boston, Scotto writes. Sharpe could be a player to watch if the Celtics and Nets get together for another trade this season — the C’s had been prepared to offer him a chance to compete for their starting center job, Scotto adds.

Kings Rumors: Murray, Clifford, Sabonis, LaVine, Ellis, Monk

November 23rd, 2025 at 10:10am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings pulled off an impressive win in Denver on Saturday night, upsetting the Nuggets by a score of 128-123. However, even after handing the Nuggets just their second home loss of the season, Sacramento has a 4-13 record, having dropped its previous eight games by an average margin of 23.4 points.

As a result, the Kings are very much open for business, writes Jake Fischer of Stein Line (Substack link). It’s still a little early for the in-season trade market to pick up, but Sacramento is willing to listen to inquiries on players “up and down” the roster, according to Fischer.

While most players on the Kings’ roster could be had for the right offer, Fischer identifies fourth-year forward Keegan Murray and rookie guard Nique Clifford as a couple exceptions. Sources tell Fischer that both players are expected to be off limits this season, with the front office hoping that the young duo will be part of the long-term future in Sacramento. Murray and Clifford are the only two players on the roster whose contracts run beyond the 2027/28 season.

Domantas Sabonis is also something of a question mark, Fischer notes, since team owner Vivek Ranadive is a big fan of the veteran center, and Sabonis enjoys Sacramento and isn’t considered likely to ask for a trade. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Kings wouldn’t move him, but he’s on a maximum-salary contract and is viewed around the NBA as a negative defensively, Fischer explains, so it could be hard for the team to extract the kind of value it would want in a trade.

“It’s tough to pay a center that much who doesn’t protect the rim and doesn’t shoot threes — no matter how great of an offensive hub he can be,” one Western Conference executive told Fischer.

Here’s more on the Kings:

Besides Sacramento, the Warriors were the only other team to exhibit legitimate interest in Zach LaVine before he was traded out of Chicago last season, according to Fischer, who notes that Golden State – having acquired Jimmy Butler since then – won’t be in on LaVine now. LaVine’s maximum-salary contract will make him difficult to move for any real value, though Fischer hears that teams would have more interest if the high-scoring guard were willing to eliminate his $49MM player option for 2026/27 in favor of a multiyear deal that starts at a lower figure.
According to Fischer, the Kings’ former front office showed some interest in Trae Young, and LaVine’s camp made a push in the offseason to sell the Hawks on a deal that would’ve sent LaVine to Atlanta and Young to Sacramento. However, Fischer hears that general manager Scott Perry isn’t interested in pursuing Young, Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball, or Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, none of whom fits the defense-first mindset the organization is prioritizing under the new regime.
“More than half the league” has called the Kings about guard Keon Ellis, a source tells The Stein Line. Teams around the NBA view Ellis as a “plug-and-play addition with two-way ability,” Fischer writes, noting that Ellis will become eligible for a contract extension before he reaches unrestricted free agency in 2026. Fischer suggests Sacramento might be able to extract a first-round pick for Ellis; he could also be used to improve a package that includes a bigger contract like LaVine’s or DeMar DeRozan‘s.
The Pistons were viewed by several of Fischer’s sources as a potential landing spot for Malik Monk during the offseason, but “no one is saying that anymore,” he writes.

Kings Notes: Sabonis, Schröder, Ellis, Achiuwa

November 10th, 2025 at 9:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Domantas Sabonis was back on the court Sunday night after sitting out two games with a left ribcage contusion, but he couldn’t prevent the Kings from suffering their second straight blowout loss at home, writes Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee (subscription required). Sabonis, who played 30 minutes and posted 20 points and 13 rebounds in a 144-117 loss to Minnesota, was determined to play because he felt that the pain of losing was worse than the “sharp stab” he was feeling in his ribs.

“You don’t want to keep losing games,” he said after pregame warmups. “I love the game and we’re not winning, so you want to try to turn things around.”

It’s been a difficult season for Sabonis so far apart from the injury. The three-time All-Star is averaging 15.3 points per game, by far his lowest total since coming to Sacramento, and his shooting percentages of 47.7% from the floor and 15.4% from three-point range are down sharply from last season.

There’s more on the Kings:

Also off to a rough start is point guard Dennis Schröder, who was added in a sign-and-trade deal as one of the team’s major offseason moves. Schröder’s shooting woes continued against the Wolves as he made just one shot on the night and is 1-0f-16 over the past two games. In an interview with Sean Cunningham of KCRA News (Twitter video link), Schröder admitted that he’s still adjusting to his new surroundings. “I don’t feel comfortable, and when I don’t feel comfortable it’s just not effective,” he said. “I’ve got to watch film and get better in areas where I can be more effective. If the shot’s dropping or not dropping, you can’t control if the ball goes in, but what you can control is on the defensive side of the ball that you’re impacting it.”
Kings fans chanted for Keon Ellis during Sunday’s game, but once again he didn’t get off the bench until the fourth quarter. Coach Doug Christie explained why he’s not using Ellis more often despite the team’s defensive struggles (Twitter video link from Cunningham). “Trying to play 10 players and finding a rhythm for that is difficult, like there’s a logjam at that position,” Christie told reporters. “One guy plays damn near the whole game, the other guy plays a few minutes and then there’s Keon. But I know in this league that things happen how they happen, and the one thing we’re going to do is try to figure it out.” He also promised that Keon “will get his opportunity.”
Christie was complimentary of Precious Achiuwa, who made his first start since joining the Kings and delivered 12 points and 10 rebounds in 29 minutes. “There’s some grown man things that Precious does out there, and I’m all for it,” Christie said. “There’s a level of physicality, there’s a level of aggressiveness and he rebounds the basketball.”

Pacific Notes: Ellis, Leonard, Curry, Warriors

November 8th, 2025 at 11:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Keon Ellis is trying to be philosophical about his reduced role in the Kings‘ rotation, writes Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee. Ellis logged just 12 minutes of action in Friday’s loss to Oklahoma City — all in the fourth quarter of a blowout — continuing a trend that has seen him reach 20 minutes in just three of the team’s first nine games.

Biderman notes that Ellis had reason to expect a more prominent position after finishing second on the team in three-point percentage last season at 43% and ranking second in the league with 280 deflections. Ellis provides a level of perimeter defense that the team has been lacking while ranking 25th in defensive efficiency, 28th in deflections and 28th in contested shots coming into Friday’s game.

“Because I know if I go out there, I do what I do,” Ellis responded when asked about his playing time. “If I don’t go out there, it is what it is. I control what I can control.”

The Kings added Dennis Schröder and Russell Westbrook to their backcourt during the offseason, and they’re both playing ahead of Ellis. Westbrook has been putting up vintage numbers lately, including 24 points, nine assists and six rebounds Friday night after posting a triple-double on Wednesday, but Schröder hasn’t been as effective. The Kings have been outscored by 85 points in the 287 minutes he has played and they have a minus-9.9 net rating when he’s on the court. Biderman states.

“It’s a numbers game,” coach Doug Christie said. “There’s a big logjam there. Night to night, it could be different. It’s not going to be any easier once you get Keegan (Murray) back. But this is a good problem to have. It’s one that hasn’t been here for a long time when you talk about wing players and the ability to have them. Keon’s a pro so I know he’ll be ready and prepared.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said Kawhi Leonard will miss “the next few games” with a sprained right ankle, according to The Associated Press. Lue didn’t provide any specifics about Leonard’s condition, but he stated that medical tests are indicating it won’t be a prolonged absence.
After missing two games with an illness, Warriors star Stephen Curry is listed as questionable for Sunday’s meeting with Indiana, per Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. Curry started feeling fatigued in the second half of Tuesday’s contest and didn’t travel with the team on its two-game trip to Sacramento and Denver. Al Horford is also questionable after being scratched from Friday’s game due to a left foot strain.
Draymond Green was critical of the Warriors‘ defense, and coach Steve Kerr lamented “a lack of purpose and energy” following Friday’s loss at Denver, relays Nick Friedell of The Athletic. Golden State fell behind early and wasn’t able to fight back in a 129-104 defeat. “There has to be some fire in the belly to get out of a tough night,” Kerr said. “It’s tough as a young player when things aren’t going their way, the game’s not going their way, it’s easy to get down. You can’t do that in this league. You have to fight and compete every second, and it didn’t feel like we did that tonight.”

Players Seeking Paydays This Season

October 5th, 2025 at 5:03pm CST by Eli Cohen

While some players are still hoping to finalize rookie scale extensions before the season begins, the majority of contract situations around the league have been settled at this point. But business never sleeps in the world of the NBA, and many players will enter this season hoping to impress executives and land their next big payday.

Zach Harper of The Athletic details the top names playing for new deals this season, excluding the aforementioned rookie scale extension seekers.

One player not on a rookie-scale deal but still extension-eligible is Michael Porter Jr., whom the Nets recently acquired to add some scoring pop to the starting lineup. Porter’s deal runs for two more seasons and will pay him $38.3MM this year and $40.8MM in 2026/27.

The Nets’ roster remains a major work in progress, making future projections tricky, but at just 27 years old, Porter is in position to have a big year in Brooklyn and boost his stock entering a contract year next summer. The biggest question, according to Harper, is whether Porter’s next deal would remain in the range of the $40MM+ he’ll earn in 2026/27 or if he would take a modest pay cut to secure a longer-term contract.

Harper takes a look at three big men who could hit the open market next summer: Kristaps Porzingis, the Hawks‘ new starting center, longtime Bulls veteran Nikola Vucevic, and the Knicks‘ on-and-off starter Mitchell Robinson. All three have question marks surrounding them — for Porzingis and Robinson, those questions center around health, though Robinson could also be a cap casualty on New York’s increasingly pricey roster.

Vucevic has been in trade rumors for years, and with the Bulls taking more steps to embrace a youth movement than they have in the past, his time in Chicago could be coming to an end. Harper predicts an annual value of around $21MM for Vucevic on his next deal, which is about what he’ll earn in 2025/26.

Another group of players Harper looks at is a trio of high-scoring guards who will be free agents in 2026: Anfernee Simons and Norman Powell, who were acquired this summer by the Celtics and Heat, respectively, and Coby White, who has grown into a talented combo guard over his six seasons with the Bulls. Harper predicts a deal around $20MM annually for Simons, $75MM over three years for White, and a two-year, $50MM contract for Powell.

The 2026 free agency class will also be impacted by the decisions made by veterans with player options, such as Zach LaVine (Kings), Bradley Beal (Clippers), and Austin Reaves (Lakers). Cam Thomas (Nets) and Quentin Grimes (Sixers) will also reach unrestricted free agency after accepting their respective qualifying offers and will be looking to recoup the money they passed on this offseason.

Finally, Harper singles out four role players who could be coveted next season, depending on their performance this season: Rui Hachimura (Lakers), Tyus Jones (Magic), Keon Ellis (Kings), and Georges Niang (Jazz). The 25-year-old Ellis has broken out over the last two seasons and could command his first real payday of his career if he has a strong season off the bench in Sacramento. Harper speculates he could be in line for a deal similar to the three-year, $27.6MM contract Ty Jerome signed with the Grizzlies this summer.

Kings Notes: Murray, Raynaud, Clifford, Carter, Defense

October 3rd, 2025 at 7:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

Keegan Murray has had an up-and-down start to his career with the Kings after being selected with the No. 4 pick in the 2022 draft, from starting in a playoff Game 7 as a rookie to two straight ninth-seed finishes as the team added more scoring options, resulting in a decline in his offensive responsibilities. However, going into training camp, the 6’8″ wing is excited about the changes head coach Doug Christie has implemented.

“I feel like there’s more movement going around, which we didn’t have last year,” he said after practice, per Sean Cunningham of KCRA News (Twitter video link).

Murray spoke about his offensive role and how he can contribute on a team with so many offensive shot creators, incuding Dennis Schröder, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk, and Domantas Sabonis.

“They’re using me more than they did last year, just coming out of the corner and in transition and things like that,” he said. “Just knocking down shots, being able to have the ball, touch the ball is the biggest thing when you’re talking about flow. When you don’t touch the ball for five minutes, it’s hard to get into a flow.”

Last season, Murray saw his shot attempts drop from 12.7 per game in 2023/24 to 10.8 while his usage rate fell to a career-low 15.0%.

According to Murray, Christie’s stated directive to shoot 10 threes a game is less a specific goal and more a reminder to him to stay aggressive at all times and look for his shot. He also noted that the addition of Schröder will help with his defensive workload, as he can still focus on the opposing team’s top perimeter scorer without having to defend as many point guards as he did last season.

We have more notes from around the Kings’ training camp:

Christie spoke highly about rookie center Maxime Raynaud and what he brings to the team. “He’s a super-skilled big man that has the ability to do a lot of different things on the floor,” Christie said after training camp (Twitter video link via ABC10’s Matt George). He noted that the seven-footer will have to adjust to the NBA’s physicality and floated the idea that Raynaud’s ability to shoot could allow him to play the four at times next to Sabonis. Overall, Christie was impressed by the rookie’s training camp performance. “He’s been great in practice,” Christie said. “He talks at a high level, his communication skills are great, and I think his teammates love him. His passing, his shooting, he’s done well.”
In the same media session, Christie spoke about rookie Nique Clifford. Clifford was named to the All-Summer League First Team after averaging 15.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists on 45.8% shooting from three, and that versatility was the main point Christie hit on when discussing how he could use the 23-year-old wing. “Do I see him playing some point guard?” Christie asked. “Yes, because of his skill set, but he’s also gotta be out there with a secondary ball-handler… It’s good for him to face Dennis in practice, because that’s about as high a level [point guard defender] as you’re gonna see in the NBA… his skill set says to me that he can play all the perimeter positions.”
Finally, Christie spoke about 2024 lottery pick Devin Carter, who was limited by injuries to just 36 games as a rookie. Carter struggled to find a rhythm during Summer League, posting shooting splits of .405/.289/.593, but Christie is unconcerned. “Devin has grown immensely from Summer League to now,” the Kings’ coach said. “He’s in way better shape. He’s understanding and reading the game better. From the point guard position, he’s beginning to understand things. When you’re at the free throw line, you’re already calling out the play, you’ve got something in your mind, what are we running? On defense, making sure everyone’s set. And a guy like Dennis is going to help him too because [Carter]’s not a natural point guard, but he’s gonna play that position sometimes… and he’s fearless, he’s not scared of the moment.”
Standout backup guard Keon Ellis spoke about the team’s defensive areas of focus in training camp, tweets George (video link). “I think just certain situations, not over-helping when you don’t need to, to give other teams advantages,” he said. “He’s really trying to emphasize everyone picking up 94 feet. It’s tough, but that’s kind of what you have to do to win. So that, and being physical, making sure on every catch you’re up, you’re getting a hand on them so they know you’re there.“

Latest On Jonathan Kuminga

July 30th, 2025 at 9:53am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Kings have been linked to restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga for weeks but there’s little common ground in sign-and-trade talks with the Warriors.

The Athletic’s Sam Amick said on the Warriors Plus Minus podcast (hat tip to BasketNews) that Golden State isn’t interested in either DeMar DeRozan or Devin Carter as part of a trade package.

“My understanding is the Warriors weren’t interested in Carter or DeRozan. As of a couple of weeks ago, the Kings weren’t willing to pay Kuminga into the $20 million range,” Amick said.

Multiple reports have indicated Kuminga and his agent are seeking a contract in the $30MM range annually.

The Sacramento Bee’s Jason Anderson reports that the Kings have not given up in their pursuit of a sign-and-trade deal for Kuminga and offered Golden State a package of Carter, Dario Saric and draft compensation, which could include a protected first-round pick or multiple second-round picks.

Anderson speculates the Warriors would likely make a deal with Sacramento if the Kings were willing to add Keegan Murray or Keon Ellis to the mix. However, Anderson hears that Murray and Ellis have not been discussed in those negotiations and are considered off limits by the Kings.

ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported last week that the Warriors would like to add a talented young player and a first-rounder for Kuminga. The Suns have been identified as another suitor for Kuminga but don’t possess the draft capital Golden State is seeking.

Slater added in a radio interview relayed by Anderson that the 22-year-old forward came away with a good impression after a recent meeting with Kings representatives, which included general manager Scott Perry, assistant GM B.J. Armstrong and head coach Doug Christie.

“He’s open-minded to the idea of Sacramento. … I think part of that – I know part of that pitch – is you’re talking starting role, you’re talking bigger opportunity than the Warriors are necessarily offering right now. And I think that’s the part that shouldn’t get lost in this situation,” Slater said. “Jonathan Kuminga isn’t just looking for the exact contract he wants in free agency. He’s looking for the opportunity he wants on the court.”

Slater and ESPN’s Shams Charania report that the Warriors are making a stronger push to resolve the Kuminga impasse but he continues to reject their two-year, $45MM contract offer. Kuminga’s decision is due in large part to the Warriors’ insistence on having a team option for the second season and their unwillingness to let him maintain the built-in no-trade clause, the ESPN duo adds.

His agent, Aaron Turner, presented the Warriors several proposals this month, including a three-year deal worth around $82MM that would allow them to stay below the second tax apron.

The Suns have been the most aggressive team pursuing Kuminga, including a proposal of up to four years and approximately $90MM for Kuminga with a player option for the final season, per ESPN’s report.

In recent days, Golden State has begun signaling a plan to cut off sign-and-trade conversations entirely, according to Charania and Slater. The Warriors have the ability to play hard ball with Kuminga, figuring he could either accept their contract offer or sign his qualifying offer of $7.9MM and become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Kings Pick Up Option On Keon Ellis’ Contract

June 29th, 2025 at 3:28pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Kings are picking up their $2.3MM option on Keon Ellis‘ contract, James Ham of The Kings Beat tweets. The guard’s salary for next season won’t be fully guaranteed until January.

If Sacramento had declined the option and instead given him a qualifying offer of approximately $2.9MM, Ellis would have been a restricted free agent. This move could signal that they’re confident an extension agreement can be reached prior to next offseason. If the two sides don’t agree to an extension, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent a year from now.

Ellis’ current contract is a bargain by any standard. He appeared in 80 games last season, including 24 starts. He averaged 8.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals per night.

Entering his fourth season, the undrafted Ellis is valued for his defense and his ability to shoot beyond the arc. He has made 42.9 percent of his three-point attempts during his first three seasons.

He currently projects as backup to Zach LaVine but the Kings are expected to be very active in the free agent and trade markets.