Rebuilding Wizards Targeting All-NBA Center

The one bright spot for the Washington Wizards this season has been Alex Sarr at the center position. He has been playing like a potential All-Star and one of the best big men in the NBA. This does not mean the team does not need another big man who can pair with most of the players on the team, including Sarr. Reports have come out that the Wizards are targeting All-NBA center Domantas Sabonis this season.

Reports from Sam Amick of The Athletic stated that the Wizards are suitors for the center.

"Teams like Washington, the Phoenix Suns, and Chicago have shown significant interest in the past and are still believed to be on his short list of possible suitors, but Sabonis is prepared to remain in a Kings jersey for the foreseeable future," Amick said. "He has been out since Nov. 19 with a partial tear of his left meniscus and was scheduled to be re-evaluated within the next week."

Per @sam_amick of The Athletic: “Teams like Washington, the Phoenix Suns and Chicago have shown significant interest in the past and are still believed to be on his short list of possible suitors, but Sabonis is prepared to remain in a Kings jersey for the foreseeable future. He… pic.twitter.com/1n2kw52fgE
— Bryson Akins (@BrysonAkinsNBA) December 12, 2025

The Wizards can trade for many All-Star and former All-NBA players this season. It has been discussed trading for Lamelo Ball, which would be a bad idea, or even for Zion Williamson, whose time with the New Orleans Pelicans is coming to an end. Sabonis is no different, as his contract makes it easy to trade for him. The best part is that the Wizards do not need to perfectly match salaries with the Sacramento Kings.

To make it a one-for-one player swap with picks, the team would have to trade Khris Middleton. If the team does not want to trade Middleton, even though it would make a trade easier, the next option is CJ McCollum, which would require trading someone who makes at least $3.5 million per year.

The two players who would likely be traded with McCollum are Whitmore, who has lost playing time, or Malaki Branham. Branham seems the more obvious choice, as he rarely plays and is making $4.9 million per year, with one year left on his contract.

Asked Brian Keefe after the game if Cam Whitmore's DNP was because he isn't meeting the Wizards standards — the reasoning Keefe gave after the ATL game.

“I’m not gonna discuss this any further after this conversation tonight but we have a deep roster. (1/2)
— Varun Shankar (@ByVarunShankar) December 13, 2025

Market for Sabonis

The Wizards do have some competition in the Sabonis sweepstakes, but they have a secret weapon. The Wizards can offer more draft capital than any of the other teams mentioned as interested in them. The Kings need to hit the reset button, and to do so correctly, they need draft capital. Will Dawkins and company are on the verge of exiting a rebuild in a season or two, so they can part with the many second-rounders and some first-round draft picks they have.

Sabonis also fits perfectly into this lineup. He is a great passing big man and can help open up the offense for shooters like Kyshawn George, Corey Kispert, and Tre Johnson, who just returned from an injury. It could also help out Sarr, as Sabonis can run the pick-and-roll as the ball handler.

The team would thrive with Sabonis in the lineup, but the decision comes down to how many picks the Kings want in return. The price is too high, which could, in turn, change the front office's perspective.

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