Sabonis Speaks on Return From Injury, Strong Play Of Rookie Bigs

The Sacramento Kings are on a surprise 4-game winning streak and playing their best basketball of the season by far. And they also just got Domantas Sabonis back after an extended absence from his knee injury as they cruised to victory over the Washington Wizards.

In his first contest back, he had a modest 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, but did so in just 21:14 minutes of play and made five of his six field goals. It's exactly what you expect from the All-NBA caliber big.

After the game, ESPN1320's James Ham asked Sabonis if there was anything that the big man worked on during his time away, and Sabonis gave an answer focused on his knee and his opportunity to get back on the court.

"My knee, you know I dodged a bullet, and I'm just thankful I get to be here tonight and in front of the fans. I was scared there for a second, but we're here today and hopefully knock on wood everything keeps going good."

Domantas Sabonis on his knee injury, the young bigs and finally getting back on the court: pic.twitter.com/z6JAJCgLlp
— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) January 17, 2026

Sabonis was also asked about his thoughts on the young bigs in Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell, and had positive things to say about his new frontcourt partners.

"They're not scared. They listen, listen to the coach, work hard, go out there and try and execute. And they've been amazing, they've been playing really well for us."

Sabonis seemed particularly fond of playing with Cardwell, as he's the first rim protector that the Kings have had since Sabonis joined the team. Sabonis isn't known for his defense, but pairing him with a player with elite defensive potential like Cardwell helps cover up a lot of mistakes.

"It allows me to be more aggressive out there in the pick and roll and stuff, and if my guy gets behind me, we've got him taking care of everything. Definitely felt more free on defense, and then on offense, he does a good job of reading, and I get to be a playmaker."

Glimpse of the Future?

Jan 16, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings center Dylan Cardwell (32) celebrates after a dunk during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

There's a lot of uncertainty around the Kings right now, with nearly every player embroiled in trade rumors. Sabonis is one of those players and there's really no way to know if he'll be here following the trade deadline or after the upcoming offseason.

But if the Kings want to see what he looks like with the fellow bigs on the roster, now is certainly the time. Coming into the season, Sabonis seemed like he wanted to get back to the power forward spot more, and he's getting his wish with the addition of Cardwell, especially.

The defensive upside of Cardwell and Sabonis is clear, but the offense will be interesting to watch progress. It's hard to function with two non-shooting bigs in today's NBA, but with Sabonis' passing and ability to facilitate outside of the paint and Cardwell to work in as a cutter or rim runner, it could work.

It would also be great for Sabonis and Raynaud to get time on the court together as well, though Raynaud's defense is nowhere near the level of Cardwell's. But the experimenting isn't for this season, it's for the future. So even if the results are poor, it's something we should see more of in the second half of the season, depending on what shakes out with the trades.

Even if Sabonis isn't a member of the Kings for the rest of the season, it's great to see him get back on the court. His playing well should only boost his trade value, especially with Anthony Davis out due to an injury. That puts Sabonis as one of, if not the biggest, trade targets at the center position.

Glimpse of the Future?

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