After months of trade discussions and speculation about Jonathan Kuminga and Malik Monk, the Sacramento Kings did not secure a deal with their Northern California neighbor during this week’s NBA trade deadline.
Kuminga, who finally saw his time with the Golden State Warriors come to an end earlier this week when the forward was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in return for Kristaps Porzingis, was a top Kings trade target dating back to last summer.
During offseason trade talks between Sacramento and Golden State, the Kings had offered guard Malik Monk and a future protected first-round pick in return for Kuminga, the former seventh-overall pick in the NBA Draft.
As the regular season continued, first round compensation was no longer on a table in talks for Kuminga, but Monk’s salary made him an ideal fit for a potential swap.
First-year general manager Scott Perry remained engaged with Golden State in the months and weeks leading up to the deadline, but the Warriors never appeared interested in a deal involving Malik Monk.
(Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
More on Malik Monk & the Warriors
But why? We now have an answer to that question.
KNBR’s John Dickinson joined The Drive Guys this week to explain why Golden State had no interest in acquiring Monk, a dynamic guard that many felt would have meshed with the Warriors’ system.
As it turns out, the lack of interest in Monk doesn’t have that much to do with his play on the floor.
“The Warriors don’t have a lot of fans, from what I’ve heard — a lot of Malik Monk fans — in their locker room,” Dickinson said.
According to Dickinson, that sentiment stemmed from a moment between Games 6 and 7 of the 2023 first-round series between Sacramento and Golden State.
After the Sacramento Kings went into Chase Center and dominated Game 6 to even the series, Monk delivered some pointed comments that didn’t sit well with Golden State.
“He stood up on the podium in between Game 6 and Game 7, when Steph Curry was imploring young Warriors players, ‘Who wants to get on the bus and go to Sacramento?’” Dickinson said. “Monk basically called the Warriors old, busted, and cooked.”
That bulletin-board material was quickly answered on the floor. Curry responded by erupting for 50 points in Game 7, flipping the narrative and ending Sacramento’s season.
“And then Steph went in there and dropped 50 on him in Game 7 and said, ‘Not so fast,’” Dickinson said.
Dickinson added that Monk’s comments weren’t the only factor influencing how he was viewed inside the Warriors’ locker room. The firing of former Kings head coach Mike Brown — a former Warriors assistant and championship staple — also played a major role, as whispers have pointed to Monk as one player who had issues with Brown during his time at the helm in Sacramento.
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
“The other thing is the Mike Brown situation,” Dickinson said. “Mike Brown has a ton of fans in the Warriors locker room, among the championship core of players, staff, and coaches.”
Because of that loyalty, Dickinson suggested Monk may not have been warmly received had circumstances been different.
“I had heard that Monk would not have been the most welcome player,” Dickinson said.
Be sure to check out the entire interview with KNBR’s John Dickinson at the top of this page, or on the Sactown Sports 1140 YouTube channel.
Listen to The Drive Guys from 2 – 6 p.m. PST, Monday through Friday, on Sactown Sports 1140.
Click here for full episodes of The Drive Guys .
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Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 season
- Friday, February 6th – vs. Los Angeles Clippers – 7:00 PM PT
- Saturday, February 7th – vs. Cleveland Cavaliers – 7:00 PM PT
- Monday, February 9th – @ New Orleans Pelicans – 5:00 PM PT
- Wednesday, February 11th – @ Utah Jazz – 6:00 PM PT
- Thursday, February 19th vs. Orlando Magic – 7:00 PM PT
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