The Sacramento Kings had to play without three-time All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis for two months due to a partial meniscus tear in his knee. Luckily, the Kings have gotten him back on the floor, but he has been severely limited.
Now, after returning for three games, Sabonis is finding his way back on the sideline. The Kings have officially ruled out Sabonis for Wednesday’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors.
Kings’ full injury report
Not having Sabonis is a big enough loss, although he has not been anywhere near full strength since returning from his two-month absence. In three games back, he is averaging 9.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 3.3 turnovers in 19.3 minutes per game, coming off the bench in each one.
The Kings are certainly taking things easy with Sabonis, and have now decided to leave him on the bench for the second night of a back-to-back. The Kings’ full injury report against the Raptors:
Precious Achiuwa – QUESTIONABLE (right ankle soreness)Keegan Murray – OUT (left ankle sprain)Domantas Sabonis – OUT (left knee injury management)
Jan 16, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) reacts after a play during the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at Golden 1 Center. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
Counting Wednesday’s contest, the Kings have gone all 45 games this season without a full-strength lineup, with injuries to Sabonis and Murray being the most significant. Now, if the Kings have to play without Achiuwa on Wednesday as well, they could be in even more trouble with an extra damaged frontcourt.
Who’s out for the Raptors?
While the Kings’ injuries certainly sting, the Raptors are dealing with some of their own. Most notably, star guard RJ Barrett has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game. The Raptors’ full injury report:
RJ Barrett – OUT (left ankle sprain)Collin Murray-Boyles – OUT (left thumb contusion)Jakob Poeltl – OUT (lower back strain)Ja’Kobe Walter – OUT (right hop pointer)
PERSONNEL REPORT | Jan. 21 at SAC:
OUT
Barrett, RJ – Left Ankle; Sprain
Hepburn, Chucky – G League – Two-Way
Murray-Boyles, Collin – Left Thumb; Contusion
Poeltl, Jakob – Lower Back; Strain
Walter, Ja’Kobe – Right Hip; Pointer
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) January 21, 2026
Barrett is now set to miss his seventh consecutive game, even though there was some hope for the Raptors that he would be able to return to action in Sacramento. They also remain without rookie forward Murray-Boyles, as well as Poeltl and Walter. All of these losses are significant for Toronto, but coming off a dominant 18-point win over the Golden State Warriors with these same absences, they are likely confident heading into Wednesday’s game.
A trade preview?
It is interesting that both Sabonis and Barrett are sidelined for Wednesday’s meeting, considering they could be traded for each other by the February 5th trade deadline. Of course, their absences have no significance in that regard, but it is worth noting.
The Raptors have come up as a potential destination for Sabonis, but the Kings reportedly do not want to take on long-term salaries like Poeltl or Immanuel Quickley. Barrett is a prime trade candidate for Kings GM Scott Perry, who drafted Barrett when he was with the New York Knicks, making a trade between the two sides very plausible.
The Kings and Raptors are set to tip off in Sacramento at 7:00 p.m. PT on Wednesday, as they look to bounce back from a loss to the Miami Heat the night before.
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