Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis knows he has been the subject of trade talks in recent weeks, but he is trying not to get caught up in rumors and speculation.
“There’s nothing you can do,” Sabonis said. “You just try to ignore it. I’m here right now, and we’re just trying to go out there and play as well as we can.”
In an exclusive interview with The Sacramento Bee, Sabonis said the thought of getting traded feels different than it has in the past. Sabonis and his wife, Shashana, have put down roots in the region with three young children, a home in Napa Valley and their own premium wine brand.
“It’s definitely different this time,” Sabonis said. “I’ve got kids, so you’ve got to think about that, but on the court it’s the same thing. I forget everything once I’m in between those lines and the goal is just to help your team win.”
The Athletic’s Sam Amick recently reported the Chicago Bulls, Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards have shown interest in Sabonis. The Raptors were singled out as a “legitimate possibility.”
A deal with the Raptors would likely include RJ Barrett and Ochai Agbaji. Kings general manager Scott Perry drafted Barrett when he was general manager of the New York Knicks.
Sacramento has reportedly been reluctant to take back Jakob Poeltl, who has ongoing back issues, and Immanuel Quickley, who has three years and $97.5 million remaining on his contract.
According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, the Kings have told at least one interested team they want a first-round pick in a deal for their three-time All-NBA center.
This is nothing new for Sabonis, 29, who has been traded three times since he came into the NBA as the No. 11 pick in the 2016 NBA draft. The Orlando Magic traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder the night he was drafted. Oklahoma City traded him to the Indiana Pacers a year later. The Pacers traded him to the Kings in February 2022.
“I feel like I’ve been in trade rumors a lot lately over the years and even when I got to the Kings, so I’m going to do what I did last time and just ignore it,” Sabonis said. “Ignore it and focus on what you can control.”
Sabonis recently returned after missing 27 games with a partially torn meniscus in his left knee. He is averaging 15.5 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists. He is more focused on his return to competition than
“I’m really happy to be back on the court,” Sabonis said. “I was hurt for a long time, so I’m just enjoying my time on the court. There’s so many rumors. So many people make up so much stuff every day, so I can’t take everything to heart.”