Raptors Trade Proposal Swaps RJ Barrett for Domantas Sabonis in Offseason Blockbuster

With Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett’s contract nearing its end and Jakob Poeltl’s future uncertain, we break down a $93 million trade proposal that pairs Scottie Barnes with one of the NBA's elite passing bigs.

New York Knicks guard Miles McBride grabs a loose ball against Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

After looking at the film from the Toronto Raptors' recent loss against the Sacramento Kings, the Raptors need a lot of help in crashing the glass.

Therefore, a trade might be in the cards, and Kings center Domantas Sabonis should be a target for them.

Sabonis was someone the Raptors had eyed at the trade deadline, but talks ultimately did not go very far. The Raptors were searching for a possible location for Jakob Poeltl's contract, but his deal was not desirable to take on, especially considering the fact he was dealing with a back injury at the time.

Poeltl has had a decent stretch in the second half of the season, averaging 12.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game after the All-Star break, which means it's possible that other teams might be more willing to take on his salary from before the All-Star break.

If the Kings were willing to eat Poeltl's contract, it might make sense for the two teams to re-enter trade talks during the offseason.

"While there's some sentimental value in Canadian RJ Barrett playing for the league's lone team in Canada, his game brings an awful lot of overlap with Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram," Bleacher Report contributor Andy Bailey wrote in his trade proposal.

"Now, Sabonis presents some of the same potential problems. He does a lot of his damage inside the paint (like Barnes and Ingram) and likes to operate with the ball in his hands (again, like Barnes and Ingram).

"But he's also a dominant rebounder and one of the best passing bigs in the league. Darko Rajaković has the offensive creativity to take advantage of that wealth of playmaking."

Why The Raptors Should Make The Trade

Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis takes a shot before a game against the Washington Wizards. | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

The Raptors would absolutely benefit from a trade like this because Barrett's contract expires at the end of the 2026-27 campaign, and it's possible that the team might not be able to offer him as much as others could on the open market. Therefore, the Raptors would be getting some form of value for him before he possibly walks away for nothing.

On top of that, moving off of Poeltl's contract, which is valued at four years, $104 million from 2026-30, would give the team some flexibility moving forward.

Sabonis has a larger cap hit, making $45 million in 2026-27 and $48 million in 2027-28. He'll become a free agent in two years' time, which would give the Raptors the ideal contending window with Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram forming a big three around them.

Adding Sabonis would give the Raptors the centre they need to compete with other high-performing big men around the league.

Why The Raptors Shouldn't Make The Trade

Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett has his shot blocked by Sacramento Kings guard Killian Hayes. | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

There's no guarantee that the Raptors would get better after this trade. There's potential that Barrett becomes even better than where he is currently, and he might be the one to invest in longer than Sabonis. Moving off of him would potentially be the wrong move, so it's something the Raptors need to consider before making a possible deal.

While Sabonis has good numbers, averaging a double-double in every season since 2019-20, he has possibly plateaued in the last couple of years. Sabonis turns 30 next month, and it remains to be seen if he can maintain the same level of success that he had before. His debilitating torn meniscus required season-ending surgery.

If Sabonis could be the same player before tearing his meniscus, this is a no-brainer, but there is no guarantee that would be the case. He only played in 19 games this season, averaging 15.8 points and 11.4 rebounds, both of which were a step back from where he was in the 2024-25 season. Giving a player like that $93 million over two seasons usually doesn't result in winning basketball.

Our Take

Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett goes up to make a basket as Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis defends | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Raptors need to make a move if they want to get better in the Eastern Conference. Several teams in the East are getting ready to make that jump, and the Raptors need to do the same if they don't want to fall behind.

The Raptors took a risk by trading for Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans, and it has paid off so far. A trade like this would be a similar risk, so it's possible that this move could be the one to make.

The Raptors could decide to be a little bit more patient and wait for a better deal to come about with a different player on a different team, but the team cannot stay quiet for too long. Therefore, the Raptors should take the plunge, trade for Sabonis, and make a swing, even with the risk of striking out.

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