All-Star center Domantas Sabonis has been the subject of NBA trade rumors for months, with the rebuilding Sacramento Kings trying to find the right deal to move off the disgruntled star. Unfortunately for Kings general manager Scott Perry, he’s encountering a major issue in trade talks.
Bleacher Report’s NBA insider Jake Fischer recently shed light on how Sabonis is valued quite differently by the Kings’ front office compared to around the league. While Sacramento views the All-NBA big man as a positive trade asset, rival general managers see it quite differently.
“For my conversations with rival executives around the league, many do not think that Domantas Sabonis has positive trade value, that they would need to be compensated in order to take on the remainder of his contract, because in this NBA, you have to evaluate a player on what his extension could look like.”
NBA insider Jake Fischer on Sacramento Kings C Domantas Sabonis’ trade value
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Domantas Sabonis contract (Spotrac): $45.472 million salary for 2026-27 season, $48.608 million salary for 2027-28 season
Sabonis, age 30, played just 15 games this past season due to a torn meniscus in his left knee. Even if NBA teams were confident in his durability, the $94 million he is owed over the next two seasons clearly makes him viewed as a negative asset by other teams.
Theoretically, Sabonis could rebuild some of his trade value by staying healthy and returning to the form Sacramento saw two years ago. During the 2024-25 NBA season, Sabonis averaged 19.1 points and a league-high 13.9 rebounds per game, while averaging 6 assists per night. However, even that version of Sabonis is a defensive liability who is best utilized as a third option on a playoff contender.
Sabonis, who wants out of Sacramento, will also likely want a new contract within the next year-plus. Given how he is valued around the NBA, it’s unlikely he’d get the number he wants with his next team.
Understandably, the Kings front office is adamant about not attaching any assets just to trade Sabonis. Given the new rules regarding the NBA Draft lottery, Sacramento would get better odds if it finishes with the fourth-worst record in the league than if it was a bottom-three team. Furthermore, Sabonis’ pick-and-roll game pairs nicely with rookie point guard Darius Acuff Jr.
Given how the rest of the NBA values Sabonis, it’s increasingly possible that he spends the entire 2026-27 season in Sacramento. The Kings could then shop him around next summer, when his $48.608 million expiring salary would be more enticing to clubs.
Matt Johnson is Senior Editor of NFL and College Football for Sportsnaut. His work, including weekly NFL and college … More about Matt Johnson