NBA Trade Idea Sends Kings' Domantas Sabonis to Hornets in Risky Move

For the Sacramento Kings, the focus has been (and should be) on the seventh overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft. As you’ve likely heard, the Kings are expected to select one of the draft's highly-touted guards, and that is the most likely scenario by a mile; however, there is another option.

After reports that the Charlotte Hornets would not be interested in parting ways with either of their first-round draft picks, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reports that there is still a possibility Charlotte will be open to moving a pick for the right big man. The Kings will be expecting to receive a first-round pick for their former All-NBA center, but I wondered if they might need to be more aggressive to move off of his deal.

The Trade:

Kings receive: Josh Green, Grant Williams, Tidjane Salaun, Two 2026 FRP (No. 14 and No. 18)

Hornets receive: Domantas Sabonis, 2026 FRP (No. 7)

Why the Kings Consider This (Bear With Me)

For Kings fans, the jump scare here with this trade is the fact that Sacramento is giving up the best player and the best pick. While that may be true, there are real challenges to moving Sabonis that I believe may force Sacramento to either give up an asset or take back salary to make a deal.

The Toronto Raptors weren’t interested in taking Sabonis on unless it meant Jakob Poeltl’s contract was being sent in return, not exactly the win they would hope for. Giving up the seventh pick isn’t an easy decision to make, but there’s some evidence that shows that the Kings should not be expecting to find a superstar, or even an All-Star, if they stay.

A trade framework involving Miles Bridges, Josh Green, and a first-round pick for Domantas Sabonis has been discussed, per @MikeAScotto

“The Sacramento Kings and Charlotte Hornets had exploratory trade talks surrounding Domantas Sabonis, league sources told HoopsHype. One… pic.twitter.com/PkTRcDRyMh
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 10, 2026

There hasn’t been a seventh overall pick to make an All-Star Game going all the way back to Lauri Markkanen in 2017. Of course, players around that range have made All-Star teams, but the point is that the likelihood of finding that franchise-changing talent outside of the very top of the draft is low.

I’m not here to say that Jeremiah Fears is a bad player, but he is the most recent example of a guard taken at that spot, and I don’t think that level of player would be what most fans are expecting. In my mind, the Kings need to think about the possibility that they still have a chance at a talented guard and another wing or forward who can help round out the roster, should they trade down.

Texas Tech Christian Anderson pic.twitter.com/FiiKpgYEYc
— Pitless (@pitlessball) May 14, 2026

Sure, it is also very unlikely that the Kings are picking a superstar point guard at pick 14. For reference, ESPN mocked players like Labaron Philon Jr, Christian Andersen, and Ebuka Okorie after pick 14, while forwards and wings like Allen Graves, Hannes Steinbach, and Dailyn Swain were picked after that spot in the same mock. There is still talent and upside in that group, and there’s always the chance the Kings find a franchise player like the Miami Heat did at 14 with Bam Adebayo or the Philadelphia 76ers with Tyrese Maxey at 21.

Why Charlotte Jumps On This

For Charlotte, I think this is an easy decision. They get a real size and playmaking with Domantas Sabonis, and although he has limitations, his skillset could complement Charlotte’s current core well. He should help provide a level of offensive stability for the young Hornets, and his screening should help them create even more open shots for their lethal shooters.

They also grab the number seven overall pick, and while I’m not sure I see a fit for many of the top guards, Brayden Burries, Nate Ament, and Yaxel Lendeborg would all make a lot of sense for Charlotte.

Kon Knueppel zero-dribble scoring pic.twitter.com/TRKPqjFg0h
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) March 20, 2026

With Sabonis, you always need to be concerned about rim protection and switchability on defense. He likely won’t ever be a positive defender, but the amount of shooting Charlotte has with LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Kon Kneuppel would allow them to play a non-floor spacing big next to Sabonis. This could either be Moussa Diabate, or if they decide to go with one of Lendeborg or Ament at seven, they could get the best of both worlds.

In my eyes, Charlotte wins this deal on paper and gets a former All-NBA big for cheap while getting the upside swing with a top-10 pick in a great draft.

The Wrap Up

I never loved the idea of moving an asset to get off a bad contract. In fact, I’ve been vehemently against it in almost every scenario, but where I finally landed was that I think this move is worth considering. The Kings save about $8 million this season, and another $29 million at the end of the season, plus Zach LaVine’s $49 million, and DeMar DeRozan will be off the books.

Sacramento would also get Tidjane Salaun, who was the sixth overall pick in 2024 and hasn’t panned out, but is still just 21 years old. Maybe I’m just a skeptic, but I feel more confident in a move like this helping the Kings set up for the future than selecting many of the players mocked to Sacramento and expecting them to be the piece that finally turns the franchise around.

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