Domantas Sabonis Being 'Unhappy' With Kings Could Be Blessing in Disguise

Even after back-to-back wins against the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves, rumors have been swirling about basically everyone on the Sacramento Kings’ roster. Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Malik Monk have all had their names show up in trade rumors since last summer, and those rumors are only getting louder.

Last season, there were also reports that Domantas Sabonis would “seek clarity” on the direction of the franchise after trading De’Aaron Fox and firing Mike Brown. After those comments, the Kings gave Sabonis’ developmental coach, Doug Christie, the head coach job and hired a new front office led by Scott Perry. While many expected Sabonis to thrive considering his relationship with Christie, he did not look great on the court and is now set to miss at least a month with a torn meniscus.

On Wednesday, Michael Scotto with HoopsHype reported that Sabonis is “unhappy” with his role in the Sacramento offense.

Domantas Sabonis has been frustrated with his role in the Kings’ new offense, per @MikeAScotto

“Sabonis has been disappointed with Sacramento’s downward trajectory since reaching the playoffs and his usage at times under coach Doug Christie, league sources told HoopsHype.”… pic.twitter.com/i2IimTW9mT
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 26, 2025

Is this New Information?

The simple answer to this question is no. Sabonis was rumored to be one of the driving forces behind Brown’s firing last season, despite comments that he was happy in Sacramento and surprised by the franchise’s decision.

On the surface, it appears that the team has catered to Sabonis’ interests, and it’s relatively disappointing to see more leaks about his unhappiness. We may never know the true story, but Jake Fischer’s report about Ranadive’s relationship with Sabonis certainly does make it seem that he had at least a small part in the team’s decisions.

“Sabonis' affinity for Sacramento and the high regard in which he is held by ever-involved Kings owner Vivek Ranadive are factors that work against a trade that can’t be ignored,” Fischer said about the chance of Sabonis being traded this season.

Is This Really About the Offense, or Has Sabonis Declined?

The interesting piece about these reports is that Sabonis played his best basketball with Brown as the head coach and his dribble handoff-heavy offense. In Sabonis’ two full seasons with Brown at the helm, he averaged 19.3 points, 13 rebounds, and nearly 8 assists per game while shooting 60% from the field and 38% from three.

This season, Sabonis was averaging 17 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, and shot just 51% from the field before his injury. Sabonis is also the second worst on the team with a -15.6 on/off differential according to Cleaning the Glass. Below, you can see the stark difference between the past two seasons when it comes to Domas’ impact.

Domantas Sabonis stats by season | Cleaning the Glass

There are other factors at play, but Sabonis hasn’t been close to the same player he was under Brown, and he has struggled to create chemistry with LaVine and Dennis Schroder. The Lithuanian big man also saw his scoring and field goal percentage decline after Brown was let go.

Sabonis’ limitations as a big man are glaring, but he’s one of the best rebounders in the NBA, and his inside scoring, along with his playmaking, helped to offset his inability to space the floor and protect the rim. Now that his playmaking and interior scoring have fallen off, Sabonis has become an incredibly hard player to build a lineup around.

In fact, Sabonis is shooting just 64% in the restricted area and only 38.5% in the paint outside of the RA. To put that into context, 6-foot-3 Malik Monk is shooting 65% and 45% respectively in those same areas.

Why Both Parties Need to Move On

Between the numerous leaks about Sabonis’ unhappiness, the teams’ lack of success, and the challenges of building around Sabonis, there are plenty of reasons why it’s time for the Kings and Sabonis to go their separate ways. Along with that, Kings fans may never get over the fact that former GM Monte McNair traded Tyrese Haliburton for Sabonis, which will only lead to more criticism and pressure on Domas.

While it isn’t Sabonis’ fault that McNair traded for him, he will forever be linked with Haliburton, who has been one of the best players in the NBA since joining the Indiana Pacers. The problem is that moving Sabonis will not be easy, despite his talent.

SABONIS WITH A MEAN DUNK 🤯 pic.twitter.com/KceKV3xpCO
— NBA TV (@NBATV) October 27, 2024

A few weeks ago, I wrote about a few possible trade destinations for Sabonis, but I can’t say with any certainty that those teams will be willing to take on his contract that exceeds $42 million for this year. However, the Kings should make it a priority to move their former All-Star center.

Even if Sabonis returns and looks closer to his All-NBA self, I fear that things may be too far gone for him to be a part of Sacramento’s future. It would be incredibly challenging to get enough defense and shooting around Sabonis for him to be at his best with his massive cap hit, and that, along with the unnecessary distractions around his unhappiness, are reason enough for the Kings to cut their losses.

Is this New Information?

Is This Really About the Offense, or Has Sabonis Declined?

Why Both Parties Need to Move On

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