The Sacramento Kings are already active in the trade market days ahead of the deadline. Following their Saturday night trade, the Kings sent a signal to NBA fans to begin speculating on the future of one of their front-court stars in Domantas Sabonis.
Heading into their Sunday night action against the Washington Wizards, the Kings listed Sabonis as questionable due to a back-related setback. The veteran was reportedly going through a shooting routine in DC hours before the game tipped off, before it ended early. A reporter in attendance didn't notice anything strange about Sabonis' exit from the court, outside of the fact that it was considered early.
The Kings then downgraded Sabonis to out, which raised eyebrows.
NBA Fans Are Speculating on a Trade
"He was upgraded to active yesterday, and in the span of 5 mins he was downgraded to OUT…he's getting traded soon," one fan wrote on the social media platform, X.
"This SCREAMS trade incoming, big shoutout to Josh for the insight here," said another fan.
Sabonis has been dealing with setbacks throughout the year, missing a long stretch of action dating from November 19 to January 14. When the Kings hosted the Wizards on January 16, Sabonis returned as a reserve for 21 minutes. He played a few games in a bench role before returning to the starting lineup on January 25.
For three games in a row, Sabonis started. On January 30, against the Boston Celtics, he was downgraded to out as a scratch. Sunday's action in DC was the second game in a row he missed.
"Generational tank off coming," an X user wrote. "Sa-GONE-nis?" Another added.
It might be in the Kings' best interest to operate as super sellers ahead of the trade deadline. Although they carry some intriguing names-veterans with plenty of experience and All-Star resumes-they simply haven't been competitive.
At 12-39, the Kings are the worst team in the Western Conference. They are tied with the Indiana Pacers as having the worst record in the league. Sunday's loss was the Kings' ninth in a row. It's obvious that a rebuild should be in the works, and Sabonis is one of their most valuable names.
Last year, Sabonis averaged 19.1 points and 13.9 rebounds (league-high). While his All-Star runs have been scattered, he is a three-time All-Star, holding plenty of value on both ends of the floor.
The latest update regarding Sabonis' potential suitors claimed that the Wizards, Phoenix Suns, and Chicago Bulls are "known to have had some interest" in Sabonis, but the Toronto Raptors might be his top suitor at this time, according to The Athletic. While there haven't been any concrete reports suggesting Sabonis is on the move, his string of absences has led fans to believe the Kings are getting ready to make another move soon.
Newsweek