Everything to Know About Domantas Sabonis' Potential Contract Extension

Like almost all of the Sacramento Kings, Domantas Sabonis had a rough 2025-26 season. The three-time All-Star played in just 19 games, marking the first time in his 10-year career that he played fewer than 60 games.

When Sabonis did play, his numbers were down across the board. His 15.8 PPG, 11.4 RPG, and 4.1 APG are objectively good, but are the lowest totals he has had since the 2018-19 season, when he was coming off the bench for the Pacers.

Where Does Sabonis’s Contract Stand Now?

Sabonis renegotiated and extended his contract after his All-Star and All-NBA season in 2023, when he led the Beam Team to the playoffs. He is now eligible to sign a veteran extension. He now has 2 years and ~$90M remaining on his current contract and is eligible to sign a veteran extension, which has become the norm for veterans under the current CBA.

Sabonis has been frequently mentioned in trade talks. His time with the Kings is probably closer to ending than it is to extending long-term. However, ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported that Sabonis has “expressed a willingness to recommit and buy-in to this season’s team.”

Domantas Sabonis "has expressed a willingness to re-commit and buy-in" to Kings after unmaterialized trade talks with Pistons, Hornets, Celtics this offseason, per @anthonyvslater. pic.twitter.com/UUcSr5oVZE
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) August 5, 2026

This does not feel like a coincidence considering Sabonis’s new extension eligibility paired with the seemingly lukewarm trade market for him at the last deadline. Teams were not exactly chomping at the bit to give real value for the former All-Star.

CAA, Sabonis’ new agency, probably has the foresight to advise the big man to be positive about the team’s future and his fit with Darius Acuff Jr., and hope Sacramento comes to the table for extension talks. If they do not, Sabonis could be looking at underwhelming options in free agency several years from now.

"I think the best way to support Darius Acuff is to have Domantas Sabonis on the roster." @James_HamNBA on how Domantas Sabonis' game could be a benefit to the Kings new rookie guard pic.twitter.com/PtM8j4PZ8F
— ESPN 1320 Sacramento (@ESPN1320) August 4, 2026

Given the recent trade discussions, the CBA’s extend-and-trade parameters feel particularly relevant when assessing any potential Sabonis extension. Usually, players are not eligible to be traded for six months after signing an extension.

However, players remain eligible to be traded if they are (i) under contract for no more than four seasons, (ii) the first year of the extension is not more than 120% of the previous season’s salary (or the league average player salary), and (iii) the annual increases or decreases of the extension are no more than 5%.

Have We Seen Recent Examples of This?

The recent Naji Marshall extension is a great example of a tradeable extension. Masai Ujiri and the Dallas front office extended Marshall at what is a pretty fair value, and clearly operated with the trade constraints in mind. Marshall’s contract declines at 5% annually - the highest possible rate - maintaining immediate trade eligibility.

Marshall has been a useful player for years and would fit well on most contending teams. Had Dallas extended him outside of those parameters, they would not have been able to include him in trades should opportunity arise. Good business by them as they retool around Cooper Flagg.

Are There Other Comparable Extensions to Look to for Reference?

Nov 11, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (11) looks on during the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Golden 1 Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jakob Poeltl’s extension with the Toronto Raptors should be a cautionary tale. Toronto got (and still gets) panned for extending their veteran center at the max they could offer him. This extension has already hamstrung Toronto’s maneuverability (including in potential Sabonis trades in February), and will probably do so until Poeltl’s contract expires.

With Poeltl’s extension in mind, a Sabonis extension would (in all likelihood) reset his market value based on the perception of his current AAV (~27% of the cap). Adding more years at a similar value to a contract that the league already considers negative value would make him harder to move than he already is.

A comparable situation could be Nikola Vucevic’s extension with the Chicago Bulls a few years ago. Vucevic, another strong offensive center, went from a contract that paid him an average of 22% of the cap down to about 14% of the cap in his extension.

The Bulls were eventually able to trade Vucevic for Anfernee Simons. Chicago waited too long to sell, as this was simply an expiring-for-expiring swap. Nonetheless, Vucevic was a movable salary.

Importantly, Chicago did not have to attach draft capital to move him. This likely appeals to the current regime in Sacramento, as they are reportedly against attaching draft capital to their larger veteran contracts.

Following the Vucevic precedent with a similar 8% discount in average cap percentage, the Kings would pay Sabonis ~19% of the cap. Sabonis can only extend for two years to remain immediately trade-eligible. This lands at around 2/$75M, keeping Sabonis under contract through 2030 when he would be 33.

Would Sacramento Be Interested in This?

While the parameters and theory are interesting, the reality is that this is an unlikely scenario. Per Slater, “offering a new contract isn’t being explored.” It still might not be as long a shot as a LaVine extension was last year, but still highly unlikely.

The Kings are not expected to offer Domantas Sabonis a contract extension at this time, per @anthonyVslater pic.twitter.com/CLBtyLf6K3
— NBABase (@TheNBABase) August 5, 2026

The new relegation zone could be a case for keeping Sabonis around as a floor raiser, but that does not necessarily mean the Kings need to extend him, considering that he is still under contract for two seasons. They will probably do what they have done/are doing with LaVine. Be opportunistic if trade avenues present themselves, but plan to have them on the team until their contracts expire.

Aside from the draft, Scott Perry has not gotten to do much on their own terms yet. Most of Sacramento’s moves during his tenure have been undoing (or trying to undo) past mistakes and clearing the deck to start building on their own terms.

It remains to be seen how the front office truly wants to build the roster out, but their willingness to engage in trade talks for Sabonis sure makes it seem like they are comfortable parting with their talented big and rolling with Raynaud and Cardwell for the time being.

There is a large gap between adding years of control at fair value and making an already tough-to-move contract nearly impossible to trade down the line. The front office already had to dig out of one self-inflicted mistake with the Dennis Schroder signing last summer. It will be interesting to see if the Kings consider trying to walk that line as the summer moves along.

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