What reportedly could change Warriors’ mind on Kings’ Jonathan Kuminga trade

The most likely outcome regarding Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free-agency saga remains a return to the Warriors.However, there could be a pathway that leads Kuminga 80 miles northeast to Golden State’s NorCal neighbors in Sacramento. The Warriors earlier this offseason shut down sign-and-trade talks with both the Kings and Phoenix Suns, per multiple reports, who showed the most interest in the 22-year-old wing after not being moved by any of their offers.But as The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported in a column published Tuesday, one tweak to Sacramento’s offer could have moved the needle for Golden State.“As it relates to the Kings, who have offered veteran guard Malik Monk and a protected 2030 first-round pick to the Warriors while agreeing to give Kuminga a three-year, $63 million deal, their insistence on including protections on the first-rounder remains the main obstacle to a possible deal, Amick wrote. “If the protections were dropped completely, there are some stakeholders who believe the Warriors would likely change their stance.”Amick added, citing team sources, that the Kings are under the impression that Kuminga wants to...