Matt Johnson
The Sacramento Kings enter the offseason needing to reshape their entire roster and create a new identity for the future of the franchise. One step towards doing that is reportedly shopping one of the top NBA trade candidates this summer.
NBA insider Jake Fischer reports that rival teams expect the Kings front office to make All-Star center Domantas Sabonis available this summer. This comes just months after the team couldn’t move him during the season due to a left meniscus injury.
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- Domantas Sabonis stats (2025-26): 15.8 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 4.1 APG, 54.3% FG, 0.3 3PM per game, 18.5% 3PT, .905 WS/48
Sabonis, who turned 30 years old in May, is coming off his worst season since he landed in Sacramento following the blockbuster trade with the Indiana Pacers. He played in just 19 games, shooting under 55 percent from the field for the first time since 2020-21 and he averaged less than 16 points for the first time since 2018-19.
Part of the incentive for Sacramento, particularly owner Vivek Ranadive, is to shed payroll. The Kings roster as of now is projected to cost nearly $200 million for the 2026-27 NBA season, this coming off a 22-win season.
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- Domantas Sabonis contract (Spotrac): $45.472 million cap hit (2-26-27), $48.608 million cap hit (2027-28)
Notably, NBA trade rumors surfaced earlier this offseason that Sacramento previously discussed a Sabonis deal with the Charlotte Hornets during the season that would’ve effectively been a salary dump. However, insider James Ham said on Locked on Kings that the Kings never had those discussions with Charlotte.
Furthermore, per Ham, the Kings’ front office has no interest in purely moving Sabonis in a salary-dump trade. If a deal is going to be made, Sacramento is reportedly seeking at least one, if not two, future first-round picks.
It might take several months for a Sabonis trade to materialize, with rival teams likely hesitant to absorb his salary and give up future first-round picks given his defensive limitations and shortcomings in the playoffs. However, given he is Sacramento’s primary trade chip, a deal this summer seems possible and would be a major step toward a reset for the franchise.
