Domantas Sabonis could become a central figure in the NBA offseason if the Sacramento Kings decide to rebuild after a 22-60 season.
Three years after ending their historic playoff drought, the Kings have drifted back toward the bottom of the league with a roster that no longer fits one clear direction.
Now, with expensive veterans still on the books, Sacramento has to decide whether to attempt another quick fix or finally embrace a real reset.
Domantas Sabonis trade market could define the Kings’ rebuild
According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, league executives expect Sacramento to listen to offers for Sabonis this summer.
“The Kings’ former All-Star center is another name, behind Antetokounmpo and Memphis’ Ja Morant, that league executives are projecting to be made available once again as part of this summer’s trade landscape. Sacramento is known to be looking to shed some significant salary if it can this offseason and seems likely to field more interest in Sabonis than other veterans.”
Sabonis is owed $45.47 million next season and $48.61 million in 2027-28, a significant number for a 30-year-old center coming off a knee-shortened season.
Since arriving from Indiana in 2022, he has averaged 19.0 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 6.9 assists over 265 Kings games. He helped power the 2023 playoff return that ended the NBA’s longest postseason drought, but roster missteps have since stalled that momentum.
Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell also give Sacramento younger, cheaper center options. Neither is Sabonis, but both make it easier to justify a long-term pivot.
Domantas Sabonis’ value may be squeezed by modern NBA math
Sabonis remains a high-level rebounder and offensive hub, but his fit is not simple for contenders.
He is brilliant as a dribble-handoff passer and interior connector, yet he does not protect the rim like a classic defensive anchor and does not stretch the floor. That forces a team to build around his strengths, not simply plug him in.
The contract complicates everything. In the second-apron era, taking on nearly $94 million over two years for a non-shooting center is a tough ask if Sacramento also wants meaningful draft assets.
Credible links have previously included Toronto, Chicago, Phoenix, and Washington. Golden State also appeared in rumor cycles, but it’s been reported that the Warriors were not interested because of salary, athleticism, and shooting concerns.
That is Sacramento’s challenge. Sabonis can still help someone, but he may not bring back a rebuild-changing haul. If the Kings move him, it may be more about escaping money than winning the trade.
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