Report Sheds Light on Domantas Sabonis’ Trade Deadline Expectations

The Sacramento Kings are expected to be busy sellers ahead of the 2025-26 NBA trade deadline, with stars like Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine all expected to be shopped.

Sabonis, especially, is an interesting case for the Kings as a 29-year-old three-time All-Star, but there is recent noise that he and his camp are not expecting to leave Sacramento. NBA insider Sam Amick recently joined the Run It Back show and revealed that he talked to Sabonis' camp, and they made their expectations clear.

"I've talked to his camp recently. It does not sound like they anticipate being moved at the deadline,” Amick said. “It’s more a message of patience. And he really likes living in the area, and as far as quality of life, he’s doing okay.”

Sam Amick says there isn't much of a trade market for Kings players 😳

Sam says DeMar DeRozan could find a new home, but it will be difficult to move Zach LaVine & Domantas Sabonis' contracts.@sam_amick | @MichelleDBeadle | @boogiecousins | @ChandlerParsons | @TeamLou23 pic.twitter.com/wFOspsA3II
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) December 9, 2025

Sabonis wants to stay in Sacramento?

Amick's report suggests that Sabonis and his camp want to stay in Sacramento, which is very interesting considering they were planning to evaluate his future with the Kings before. The Kings are just 6-18 on the season with minimal sense of direction, so all signs would point toward Sabonis actually wanting to be traded.

Of course, just because Sabonis and his camp are not expected to be traded before the deadline does not mean it will not happen. The Kings are making it very clear that Sabonis, along with nearly their entire roster, is on the block.

"Domantas is a really big number. He's not only a big number — I think you would argue that his market is better than [LaVine and DeRozan] — but the problem... there's only so many teams in the league that I think have any interest in having their offense be centered around a guy like that," Amick said.

Sabonis' trade value is very shaky, especially as he is in just the second season of a four-year, $186 million contract, and many teams likely do not want to commit so much money to a player who does not fit into their system. Sabonis is a very unique offensive talent, but that makes it challenging for teams to talk themselves into bringing him in.

While Amick reports that Sabonis and his camp do not expect to be traded this season, the expectation remains that the Kings will shop him leading up to February's deadline.

Sabonis wants to stay in Sacramento?

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