Domantas Sabonis, Steph Curry, Warriors
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Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors goes up for a shot on Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings.
The Golden State Warriors may soon have a chance to chase a familiar trade dream.
Three-time All-Star center Domantas Sabonis — long viewed as a potential Warriors fit — could become available as the Sacramento Kings signal a willingness to discuss deals for their veterans, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.
“The Sacramento Kings are definitively open for business,” Fischer reported on The Stein Line, noting that Sacramento is listening on Sabonis and fellow veterans Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan.
The news arrives as Golden State’s frontcourt continues to shrink in both production and health, creating renewed speculation that the Warriors could explore major trades before the February deadline.
Sacramento and Golden State Linked Again Amid Frontcourt Uncertainty
Trade chatter connecting Sabonis to the Warriors first resurfaced locally earlier this month when Allen Stiles of Sactown Sports 1140 pointed to “a team down the freeway” as the most logical suitor.
“There’s a team not too far down the road… that could look at a Domantas Sabonis,” Stiles said on The Allen Stiles Show, hinting at Golden State without naming them.
Stiles also noted that Sabonis’ contract — worth over $40 million per season — could complicate trade math. Sabonis is owed roughly $95 million over the next two years, making him both a pricey asset and a potential bargain depending on the fit.
But his skill set is exactly what Golden State lacks.
Warriors’ Interior Issue Magnified as Al Horford Suffers Hamstring Injury
Golden State’s frontcourt problems worsened Friday as veteran center Al Horford left the 127–123 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers with right hamstring tightness, per ESPN’s Anthony Slater. He is considered day-to-day.
Coach Steve Kerr conceded uncertainty postgame.
“I’m not sure what it is,” Kerr said after the game, adding that Horford is “unavailable.”
The Warriors’ collapse inside highlighted their roster imbalance. Portland dominated the glass, outworking Golden State on the offensive boards and turning second chances into game-altering points.
“Tonight, what really hurt us was the second-chance opportunities,” Kerr said.
The Blazers won the offensive rebounds battle by 12, converting those chances into a 28–10 advantage in second-chance scoring.
Horford was signed using the midlevel exception to stabilize the paint, but the 39-year-old has already missed seven of Golden State’s first 18 games.
No Warrior is averaging even seven rebounds per game. Their current leader is Jonathan Kuminga (6.6 RPG) — a forward who is currently out with knee tendinitis.
Why Sabonis Fits Golden State — Despite Defensive Concerns
Sabonis is averaging 12.3 rebounds per game, instantly solving Golden State’s biggest need. League executives acknowledge his defensive limitations as a non-shot-blocking center, but his elite playmaking, screening, and high-post passing make him a perfect tactical fit in Kerr’s system.
“It’s tough to pay a center that much who doesn’t protect the rim and doesn’t shoot threes,” one Western Conference executive told Fischer.
Yet Fischer added that Sabonis loves Sacramento and is unlikely to request a trade, and Kings owner Vivek Ranadive remains strongly supportive.
Even so, Golden State could become the team willing to pay for the offensive boost — especially with Draymond Green capable of masking Sabonis’ defensive flaws.
Is a Blockbuster Down the Road?
Sabonis is currently sidelined with a partially torn meniscus, but his timeline aligns with the Warriors’ trade calendar. Golden State has one of the league’s most valuable trade chips in Kuminga, who becomes trade-eligible on January 15. The Kings heavily pursued Kuminga during his restricted free agency, but the Warriors turned down their offer of Malik Monk and a future protected first-round pick.
Will Sabonis change Golden State’s mind?
For a struggling Warriors team desperate for size and stability, the question may soon become simple:
Is Golden State ready to bet its future on a win-now big man down the freeway?