Why a Domantas Sabonis Trade Is Still Realistic for the Kings

The Sacramento Kings have been stuck in an awkward situation this offseason. With Zach LaVine picking up his $49 million player option and the front office unable to find any trade suitors for either him or three-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis, the team remains in a weird transition period before fully committing to a rebuild.

Of course, having a couple of star veterans on the team does not necessarily hurt, but it can when they are making a combined $94.4 million this season. It is no secret that the Kings want both of them out, but how? With LaVine, they can just wait for his contract to expire in 2027, but for Sabonis, they are likely to trade him this season.

NBA insider Jake Fischer took to Bleacher Report's "NBA Insider Notebook" to discuss Sabonis's trade market.

"There's been some talk that Domantas Sabonis wants out of Sacramento. That seems evidence by the fact that he changed agents from Wasserman to CAA this summer," Fischer said. "He's extension-eligible. ... In today's NBA, in this second apron era, if you're up for an extension, you don't want to get to free agency. You want to secure that next bag from your incumbent team, or you want to get traded to the next team that is willing to do that."

Jan 16, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) reacts after a play during the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

At this point, it feels like a given that the Kings will try to trade Sabonis, as they have been doing since at least February's trade deadline. But the bigger question is more about which rival team could give up assets to take him off Sacramento's hands.

Potential trade suitors for Sabonis

Fischer outlines the two most mentioned trade suitors for Sabonis: The Toronto Raptors and the Charlotte Hornets. Both of these rising Eastern Conference teams have had rumored interest in the Kings' big man for a while, but have obviously not been able to fully make a move for him.

"He had trade interest from Toronto. He had trade interest from Charlotte. Both teams, I believe, were in discussions with Sacramento about him as recently as this summer," Fischer continued. "I think Toronto's trade talks with the Kings with Sabonis were far more focused and serious back in February before the trade deadline, but Charlotte, I think, is a team that could still be in the mix for him depending on Sacramento's price point."

Of course, the Kings are better off if they can field offers from more teams than just these two. While it seems unlikely for multiple teams to enter a bidding war for Sabonis at this point, there are a couple of other teams to monitor.

Domantas Sabonis reportedly wants a change of scenery, per @ChrisBHaynes

(Via @NBATV ) pic.twitter.com/MAsNC9mcFd
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 29, 2026

For example, the Phoenix Suns are an intriguing destination. Not only were they rumored to have interest before, but now ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Friday that starting center Mark Williams will miss "an extended period of time" due to shoulder surgery. For a Suns team that wants to try to stay competitive, could this entice them to make a move for Sabonis?

The trickier aspect of all this, though, is the uncertainty around what the Kings actually want in return for Sabonis.

Do the Kings value Sabonis too much?

Fischer believes that the biggest thing holding back a Sabonis deal right now is the difference in how the Kings value their star center compared to rival teams.

"One thing that I think has led to him not being dealt at this point in time is that the Kings have been adamant that they want positive trade value for Sabonis. Which is not to say that he should not be getting that from other teams, but I think other teams don't see his contract right now as a sheer positive on the trade market, especially factoring in the fact that he's going to want an extension as well," the NBA insider finished.

Depending on how expensive a contract extension Sabonis is seeking, it could be far more difficult to find a trade partner than initially expected. Not only does he still have $94.1 million remaining on his current deal, but if he wants another contract worth $40 million or more per year, there will be trouble.

The Kings certainly do not want to give him a hefty contract extension, but who will? There is no doubt that the Kings will be trying to trade Sabonis, and while we should still prepare for the star big man to get moved, there are a few question marks around what a potential deal would actually look like.

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