The Sacramento Kings have been trying to trade Domantas Sabonis since February. They have not come close, and it is not because nobody wants him.
Sacramento is expected to shop Sabonis with a focus on acquiring draft capital, and the Raptors, Suns, Bulls and Wizards have all been connected to varying levels of interest. The Kings have had no luck converting any of it.
The Toronto Deal That Died
Sacramento came close to sending Sabonis to Toronto in a package centered on RJ Barrett. The deal fell apart over what came back beyond the player.
The Kings wanted draft capital. Toronto was not giving up draft capital. That is the whole standoff, and it is a standoff Sacramento created by insisting on the one thing every team in the league guards most closely.
The Contract Is the Real Obstacle
Sabonis is owed $45.5 million in 2026-27 and $48.6 million in 2027-28. That is star money for a player coming off the worst season of his Sacramento tenure.
He played 19 games last year and averaged under 16 points for the first time since 2018-19. A rebounding machine and elite passer at center is a valuable player. A rebounding machine and elite passer at center who missed most of a season and is owed $94 million over two years is a negotiation.
Teams will absorb that salary. They will not absorb it and also hand over first-round picks.
Sacramento Needs This More Than It Admits
The financial pressure here is the driver. Sacramento’s roster is projected to cost nearly $200 million for 2026-27 after a 22-win season, and part of the incentive for ownership, particularly Vivek Ranadive, is shedding payroll.
A team paying $200 million for 22 wins is not in a position to be picky about trade returns. Every month Sacramento holds out for picks is a month closer to the deadline, when the leverage gets worse and the urgency gets more obvious to everyone on the other side of the phone.
Take the Best Offer
The Kings should have taken the Barrett deal. Barrett is a productive scorer on a reasonable contract who is younger than Sabonis and healthier than Sabonis. That is a real return for a declining big man on a bloated deal.
Holding out for picks makes sense for a team with a plan and time. Sacramento has 22 wins, a $200 million payroll and an owner who wants the number to come down. That is not a team with time.
Somebody in that front office needs to accept that the market has already told them what Sabonis is worth. The only question left is how much more of his contract they pay before they listen.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.