“Messy” negotiations loom large for Gold Coast as star forward Ben King eyes off a “big deal” with Hawthorn, according to Channel 7’s Tom Morris.

The 26-year-old is out of contract at the end of this season but, as a restricted free agent, will need a trade to get out of the Suns.

His exit shapes as a disaster for Gold Coast at the end of a horrible season on the back of their maiden finals appearance last year, with coach Damien Hardwick already writing off their hopes of more September action.

The Suns were at the centre of last year’s trade period in recruiting Norm Smith medallist Christian Petracca and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, retaining Bailey Humphrey amid interest from Victoria and sending out five players.

Now they appear set for another active post-season headlined by talks over King’s future.

Gold Coast are believed to have secured the signature of Jed Walter, who kicked another three goals on the weekend as he continues to improve in his third season, on a new three-year deal.

“What it does do is put the blowtorch on Ben King,” Morris said on SEN.

“My belief is Ben King is far more likely to want to get to Hawthorn ... once Jed Walter signs then Gold Coast diverts their attention to trying to re-sign Ben King.

“A week ago they were looking at both going ‘here’s a contract, can someone sign it please?’

“They can’t do anything more now. This is why I’m saying my view is Ben King wants to get to Hawthorn and I think there’s a big deal coming for him there.”

Morris said there is no clarity over when King might confirm his desire to move on.

But with the Suns certain to match the Hawks’ offer for the restricted free agent, Hawthorn will need to come to the trade table — a year after failing to put together a package to secure Essendon midfielder Zach Merrett.

“They’re going to need to offer some picks up ... it’s going to be pretty messy,” Morris said.

“What’ll happen is Gold Coast will say ‘we’re not doing that deal’ and Hawthorn will say ‘hang on, he’s out of contract, we can offer whatever we want and if needed we can walk him (to the pre-season draft).”

Co-host Sam Edmund wondered whether Hawthorn “might be more inclined to blink this time” after missing out on Merrett.

But, Morris added, “the flow-on effect” from a serious Hawks play for King “is significant”.

“This affects Calsher Dear, Mitch Lewis, Zach Merrett and Bailey Humphrey,” he said.

“What Ben King decides to do is massive. He hasn’t formally told the Suns that but I do believe he wants to play for the Hawks next year.”

Dear’s AFL career has stalled since breaking out in 2024 with 25 goals in 17 matches, making just five senior appearances between stints as a defender in the VFL.

Lewis, having bounced back from his ACL injury suffered late in 2024, is up to 25 goals from 17 AFL games so far this year.

Humphrey, under contract until 2028, met with Melbourne coach Steven King last year and appears likely to reboot his trade talks.

Ben King’s Suns departure would be a blow to those hopes, though just last month Steven King flagged using the Demons’ two first-round draft picks in trades “as an option for us to get better”.

“Anywhere we can target specific needs, we’d be crazy not to look at that. Everything’s on the table,” Steven King said.

“It’d have to be an unbelievable deal for the club to part with those (picks), but for the right circumstances, you’d have to look at everything.”