He's been in the business for a minute and knows how it works.
One of the major topics of conversation over the summer among Kings' fans was Sacramento's attempts to trade Malik Monk. This was part of the strategies to bring in Russell Westbrook and Jonathan Kuminga, neither of which has borne fruit.
Many pundits and analysts have speculated that these efforts might harm the relationship between the front office and Monk. It can be hard for players to know that they are trade fodder.