NBA Mock Trade: Toronto Raptors Acquire Domantas Sabonis In Blockbuster Deal

Going through an NBA mock trade that sends Sacramento Kings big man, Domantas Sabonis, to the Toronto Raptors.

Apr 11, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Golden 1 Center. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

In what has been one of the biggest surprises of the NBA, the Toronto Raptors, a little over midway through the 2025-2026 season, sit in the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference with a record of 29-20. This comes a year after they finished in the 11th spot with an overall record of 30-52. The pieces they had on their roster that looked to be a bit of a misfit at the start of the season have come together surprisingly well. With that being said, in the chase for the Larry O’Brien Trophy, there is always room for improvement. And one spot they could seek to go get better is in their frontcourt. 

With RJ Barrett and Brandon Ingram, it feels like they have a good core of perimeter talent. Outside of Scotty Barnes there interior’s ceiling is lacking. Center Jakob Poeltl is likely out for an extended time and has no star upside. And although he has been encouraging in spurts, rookie Collin Murray-Boles still has a bit to go before he is helping a team navigate the NBA playoffs. With a good chunk of draft capital and intriguing players who could be expended, one player that would be a good fit for the Raptors is Sacramento Kings big man Domantas Sabonis.

The Kings, who were once doing their signature postgame win celebration in “lighting the beam” every other night in the 2022-2023 season,  are now nowhere as competitive as they were then. Their mix of veteran players who were all once stars in their careers–Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan–has been a colossal failure. Their season is far past being on a lifeline, with a record of 12-36, and it is time for them to pull the plug by trying to get young talent and picks through trades. 

Toronto Raptors-Sacramento Kings NBA Mock Trade

Jan 25, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) gestures after scoring a three point basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Raptors Receive:

SG Keon Ellis

PF Domantas Sabonis

C Maxime Raynaud 

Kings Receive: 

PG Immanuel Quickly

SG Gradey Dick

SG Garret Temple

PF Collin Murray-Boyles

2026 First Round Pick (via TOR), 2030 First Round Pick (via TOR)

Why This Trade Makes Sense For The Kings

The Kings do not get a massive draft haul, but in this mock trade, they get a sense of direction. They get two promising players within the first three years in there career with Dick and Murray-Boyles. Sacramento currently is the third-oldest team in the NBA, with an average player age of 28.4. There is not one player they can turn through their failures and say they will be a cornerstone piece of this franchise down the line. With these two players, there have at least been flashes of them showing they can be great NBA players, thus making the limited draft return worth it.

Now, the addition of Quickley paired next to LaVine and DeRozan is definitely not ideal. That being said, if Sabonis does end up getting traded, the likelihood of either of these players sticking around is extremely low. Thus making the addition of Quickley a great one. If LaVine and DeRozan are gone, this would be Quickley’s first chance to be “the guy” for a team. And based on what he has shown at times, that may be worth the gamble. Quickley is averaging 16.9 PPG and is shooting 36.9% from three on seven attempts per game. He is also notably averaging 6.1 APG.

The Kings would need to cut one player after this mocke deal. Veteran shooting guard Garret Temple is a prime to be that drop candidate.

Why This Trade Makes Sense For The Raptors

The misfit parts on the Raptors’ roster become more put-together in this mock deal. They fix their frontcourt and now lean into the group of borderline contenders. Sabonis brings both elite scoring and rebounding, especially on the offensive end. He is averaging 15.4 PPG and 11.2 RPG, with 3.1 of them being offensive.

Toronto does end up losing one of their main scoring threats in Quickley, but this may seek to benefit the Raptors. They do not get a player in return that can directly address his perimeter scoring skill set. But his average of 13.3 shots per game can be dispersed across their core of Ingram, Sabonis, Barnes, and Barrett.

In getting Keon Ellis in this mock, the Raptors get a young defensive wing, swapping off of Gradey Dick, whose upside mainly had to do with the offensive end. Next to this core of four players, Ellis pairs better.

Maxime Raynaud is more of a throw-in, but he has been decent for the Kings in moments. He is averaging 9.4 PPG and 6.3 RPG.

Fantasy Basketball Impact Of This Mock Trade

 The biggest winners in fantasy basketball for this mock trade are on the Kings' side. Quickley, Dick, and Murray-Boyles should all see a noticeable surge in shot attempts per game, being a part of a team where their season is already over. 

Sabonis on the Raptors, next to another nucleus of three notable players, should not see a big change in his production. Ellis' outlook is similar. Being on a competitive team, he could even see a decrease in his average of 17.6 minutes per game.

Raynaud will take a big hit in production. He has started 22 games for Sacramento this season, and he will not get that same opportunity with the Raptors. Especially when Poeltl returns, Raynaud would enter a reserve big role, and see a massive hit to his current 22.6 minutes per game average.