Domantas Sabonis, Kings
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Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings leaves the court after they lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA play-in tournament game.
The Sacramento Kings are “definitively open for business,” according to a report from NBA insider Jake Fischer, prompting leaguewide speculation about the future of All-Star center Domantas Sabonis as the franchise appears to be pivoting toward a rebuild.
While Sacramento has not committed to moving Sabonis, Fischer reported that teams across the league are monitoring the Kings closely as they evaluate their veteran contracts. Executives, he wrote, believe Sacramento could become a surprise seller as the trade market forms ahead of the deadline.
“I was likewise advised this week not to expect Sabonis to ask for a trade,” Fischer wrote on The Stein Line, adding that Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé highly values the three-time All-Star. Still, Fischer noted that rival front offices are already preparing calls, aware of the potential shift inside Sacramento’s front office.
Sabonis’ Value vs. Contract Concerns
Sabonis, 29, is in the first year of his new deal, which carries nearly $95 million over the next two seasons. Several league executives reportedly question whether his traditional big-man game fits the premium price tag in a league that increasingly prioritizes rim protection and 3-point shooting at the center position.
“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.
Despite those concerns, Sabonis remains one of the NBA’s most productive offensive hubs. Last season, he led the league in rebounds and ranked top five among centers in assists. Before suffering a partial meniscus tear earlier this year, he was averaging 17.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.2 steals.
His absence exposed Sacramento’s lack of frontcourt depth, underscored by the team’s 41-point blowout loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, who were missing star guard Ja Morant.
Warriors Speculation Heats Up
Sacramento radio host Allen Stiles of Sactown Sports 1140 stirred speculation by hinting that a major West Coast rival may pursue Sabonis.
“There’s a team not too far down the road… a team down the freeway,” Stiles said on The Allen Stiles Show, a thinly veiled reference to the Golden State Warriors, who are also searching for interior help amid their own struggles.
Stiles argued that Sabonis could help Golden State, but questioned whether any team could justify the financial cost, saying: “He’s not going to live up to that $40-whatever-million AAV… That team might be better with him, but he won’t be producing at that contract level.”
Kings Have Veteran Options — But Limited Market Value
Beyond Sabonis, Sacramento’s veteran core includes DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Malik Monk and Russell Westbrook, but multiple league executives believe the Kings would not receive significant return packages for those players if they attempted a full teardown.
Sabonis, however, could dramatically reshape their future if shopped.
Potential Blockbuster — Does Kuminga Resurface?
Last offseason, Sacramento aggressively pursued Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga in restricted free agency, offering Monk and a protected first-round pick, according to multiple reports. Golden State refused. Now, Kuminga becomes trade-eligible in mid-January, aligning with the window Fischer says could heat up.
Still, league insiders insist nothing is imminent and the Kings are not actively pushing Sabonis out the door. For Ranadivé to approve a deal, the belief is that it would require a blockbuster package, not a salary dump.
The biggest question ahead: Would a trade headlined by Kuminga finally be enough for Sacramento to consider parting with Sabonis?