Two Stars Might Have Already Played Their Last Games in a Kings Uniform

The Sacramento Kings' season has fully shifted from playoff hopefuls to all eyes on the youth, and it really didn't take long. The Kings are sitting at 6-21 and 13th in the Western Conference, with all hopes of making a surprise playoff run surely gone.

And with that, it appears to be open season for the roster, with almost everyone being available outside of Keegan Murray and Nique Clifford (and it's safe to throw Maxime Raynaud in that list as well).

But two of the biggest names to monitor, Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis, are both dealing with injuries as the trade deadline creeps closer. Both are projected to be back long before February, but it was announced yesterday that Sabonis will be reevaluated in 4-5 weeks, which puts him in jeopardy of not making it back on the court before the deadline.

The Sacramento Kings say that center Domantas Sabonis continues to progress through the current phase of his rehabilitation for a partial meniscus tear in his left knee.

He will be re-evaluated in approximately 4-5 weeks, based on his clinical progress.
— Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) December 20, 2025

That begs the question: have we seen the last game in a Kings uniform for either one of these two former All-Stars as Sacramento shifts their focus to developing their young players?

Domantas Sabonis

Sabonis has been linked to a number of teams, most recently the Toronto Raptors, but all indications from him and his team are that he is happy in Sacramento as they work on retooling the roster. If that's the case, then it's up to Scott Perry and the Kings to decide if they want to build around Sabonis one more time or go in another direction.

The recent strong play of rookie Maxime Raynaud could sway their decision, as he's averaged 16.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on 56.0% shooting from the field and 45.5% from three over the last eight games. He's shown improvement early and often this season, and in another month and a half leading up to the deadline, could show the Kings he's the center of the future.

If the Kings do pull the trigger and trade Sabonis, this season would be an unceremonious ending to his Kings career that saw him break the 16-year playoff drought and help lead the Beam Team to the playoffs. Even with little expectations this season, not many thought the Kings would be this bad. In game before the injury, Sabonis had 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists on 7-of-14 shooting from the field with a missed three-point shot.

It's a game that kind of sums up the season for him and Sacramento. Fine numbers, lower efficiency than normal for Sabonis, and a big loss for the Kings.

Zach LaVine

For LaVine, the timeline leaves a lot more up in the air. He injured his ankle on December 14th, and it was announced on the 17th that he would be reevaluated in a week. That gives him plenty of time to come back before a trade, which is the likely scenario. But we also just saw Malik Monk get a healthy DNP, so who knows what's going to happen as the season continues.

On the season, LaVine is averaging 20.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists on 48.7% from the field and 38.5% from three. Again, solid numbers, but ones that lead to poor results for the team. And much like Sabonis, there's been a big drop in efficiency for the 12-year veteran.

We'll likely see both players get back on the court for the Kings, as they each have large contracts that could make them hard to move, especially this early in the season. But it's also a year to be ready for everything and everyone to be moved, so only time will tell.

Domantas Sabonis

Zach LaVine

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