As the Sacramento Kings move closer to the upcoming NBA trade deadline, the future of star center Domantas Sabonis has come into question.
Sabonis, who missed 27 games due to a partial tear of the meniscus in his left knee, has come off the bench and averaged just 19.3 minutes per game over three appearances.
The veteran big man may be currently getting his feet back under him after missing an extended period, but head coach Doug Christie told the media that he is prioritizing defense and energy during the closing portion of games.
“There’s a standard that we want to play to, and we watch certain moments toward the end, or in certain moments, we’re just trying to make sure we’re winning the game,” Christie said.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 24: Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Sacramento Kings reacts after scoring an being fouled on the shot against the Boston Celtics during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Golden 1 Center on March 24, 2025 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
More on Kings center Domantas Sabonis
During Tuesday night’s loss to the Miami Heat, Domantas Sabonis only played five minutes during the second half.
For the second-straight game, rookie center Dylan Cardwell, known for his energy and rim-protecting ability, was inserted into Christie’s closing lineup over Sabonis.
Cardwell has quickly become a fan favorite among Kings fans for his positive personality and enthusiasm on the floor. Along with his bubbling demeanor, the Auburn product is currently second in blocks (25) among all Sacramento players, although he has only logged 316 minutes of playing time (13th out of 18 players on the roster).
Domantas Sabonis isn’t just the three-time reigning NBA rebounding champion; he’s also making $42.3 million this season and is set to make another $94 million through the 2027-28 season.
It’s becoming evident that the three-time All-Star may not be aligned with first-year general manager Scott Perry’s long-term vision, but it’s also possible that Cardwell and fellow rookie center Maxime Raynaud have just flat-out earned a shot to see the floor–especially for a team that is 20 games under the .500 mark.
NBC Sports California analyst Kayte Christensen joined The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross to share her thoughts on Domantas Sabonis’ lack of playing time, and pointed to the play of the rookie bigs as the primary reason why the Lithuanian big hasn’t been as involved in Christie’s rotation.
“I think that the thing that Doug is dealing with is, when you look at it, in the first 11 games that Domas did play, they never found any real offensive continuity with him on the floor,” Christensen said. “Their offense has changed so much — they’re not running it through Sabonis anymore — and so it’s one of those things where, while he was gone for that extended period of time, he had tried to find that with different lineups. And that lineup that he’s been going with recently, they finally started to find some offensive continuity.
“Now, do I think that means he’s not going to start moving forward? No, I don’t think that’s the case. Maybe it is, I’m not sure,” Christensen continued.
“But now, because of the way that Cardwell and Precious [Achiuwa] and Max have played in his absence, Doug really wants those guys on the floor because they’ve been playing well. So now it’s dealing with how do we play two bigs, which is something they haven’t done. There’s a lot of stuff you’ve got to try and work out when you implement that piece back into the rotation and lineup.”
Be sure to check out the entire interview with Sacramento Kings broadcaster for NBC Sports’ Kayte Christensen at the top of this page, or on the Sactown Sports 1140 YouTube channel.
Listen to The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross from 6 – 10 a.m. PST, Monday through Friday, on Sactown Sports 1140.
Click here for full episodes of The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross.
More Sacramento Kings content from Sactown Sports
Don’t hold your breath waiting for the Sacramento Kings to publicly declare, “We are tanking!” The NBA frowns on such behavior, and besides, GM Scott Perry has been reluctant to even use the word “rebuild” when discussing this season.
But a recent report from Sactown Sports’ Matt George that the Sacramento Kings are keeping a wishful eye on AJ Dybantsa gives us a clear idea of what this year is really about. For a shot at AJ Dybantsa, the Sacramento Kings will almost certainly need to have one of the top three picks in this June’s draft.
Of course, not all drafts are created equal. With Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer, and Dybantsa all projected to be potential cornerstones, a top-three selection in ’26 could be franchise-altering. Any of them might fast-track a rebuild.
The Sacramento Kings have spent the first half of the season hovering in or around the league’s bottom three spots in the standings. Entering the Draft Lottery, the three bottom teams get the best shot at the top pick and the best shot at a top-three pick.
How many wins are too many for a rebuilding Kings team?
Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 season
Wednesday, January 21st – vs. Toronto Raptors – 7:00 PM PT
Friday, January 23rd – @ Cleveland Cavaliers – 4:30 PM PT
Sunday, January 25th – @ Detroit Pistons – 12:00 PM PT
Tuesday, January 27th – @ New York Knicks – 4:30 PM PT
Thursday, January 29th – @ Philadelphia 76ers – 4:00 PM PT
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