It has been only a few weeks into the 2026-27 season, but the trade rumors have already started heating up. With several teams and players eyeing new opportunities, many have emerged as potential targets and landing spots. Among the players, however, none stand out as much as Sacramento Kings star center Domantas Sabonis .
Domantas Sabonis has been a vital part of the Kings' rotation since his arrival. Having been a key member of Sacramento's last playoff squad, Sabonis has proven himself as a reliable contributor on a winning team. Unfortunately, with the Kings eyeing a rebuild centered around rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr., reports indicate that the three-time All-Star wants out .
In some ways, this could be viewed as a positive development for teams around the league. For all intents and purposes, Domantas Sabonis is a valuable asset. However, his $45.4 million cap hit makes him a challenging player to acquire via trade. On that note, ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel recently reported that the New Orleans Pelicans could be among the teams interested in Sabonis. While unlikely, there appear to be some other names on the market, too, as Siegel mentioned:
"If the Wizards hold firm and they keep [Anthony] Davis, then Sabonis will become the best big man on the market in terms of his credentials and being one of the best rebounders in this league and everything else that he can do. He's a really good passer, and that goes underrated as well… But some other teams that were monitoring him, you mentioned it, two teams that looked to trade for him last year and had those trade conversations were the Toronto Raptors and the Charlotte Hornets."
Siegel noted that the trade talks with the Raptors
and the Hornets
both fell through because of differences in demands. Although this was in the context of conversations earlier in the calendar year, Siegel maintained that these two teams remain interested. On that note, he also added:
"We've heard that the Nets would have a level of interest there depending on what they can potentially do with Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. at the trade deadline. The Memphis Grizzlies have been a name floated around, but nobody really knows what they're doing yet simply because of their early-season success… That could change course for them whether or not they'd like to be big buyers or big sellers at the trade deadline."
By the looks of it, the Toronto Raptors, the Charlotte Hornets, the Brooklyn Nets
, and the Memphis Grizzlies
could emerge as prospective suitors for Domantas Sabonis at the trade deadline. But what could each of these teams ideally offer for the three-time All-Star?
It is worth reiterating that the Sacramento Kings are a team embracing a rebuild. From that perspective, the Kings' preferred returns would ideally be expiring contracts, young players, or draft compensation. In this regard, only three of the four teams that have been mentioned as suitors for Domantas Sabonis have the flexibility to meet the Kings' needs.
The Toronto Raptors' offer for Sabonis is unlikely to change given the team's inclination to replace Jakob Poeltl . However, to sweeten the deal, the Raptors could include RJ Barrett 's expiring contract ($29.6 million), an unprotected first-round pick in 2028, and a first-round pick swap in 2032. Even though the Kings may prefer two clear-cut first-round picks, this is currently the best offer Toronto can present.
While the Raptors' offer has merit, it may be enough to compete with the other three teams, who possess notable draft assets.
The Hornets' offer for Sabonis could be intriguing. In light of their $40.7 million trade exception, the Hornets only need to part with a few players to make this deal work, which could be viewed favorably by Sacramento since it would allow them to shed a considerable amount in salary.
Hence, if the Hornets use their trade exception to absorb a large portion of Domantas Sabonis' incoming cap hit, they could formulate a package centered around the expiring contracts of Grant Williams ($14.2 million) and Tidjane Salaun ($8.2 million) along with two or three first-round picks depending on their level of interest.
Unlike the Hornets' deal, the Nets' approach could be much more straightforward. According to the latest reports, Brooklyn is open to trading both Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle . From a fit perspective, shipping Randle to the Kings would make more sense. However, the Nets may enjoy more success in parting with Porter Jr. given his $40.8 million expiring contract.
By packaging Porter Jr. with a promising young piece like Nolan Traore ($4.0 million), Brooklyn can gain the Kings' interest. In addition to this, by including two unprotected first-round picks, they could emerge as frontrunners to land Domantas Sabonis.
Among the four teams mentioned, the Grizzlies may be the most confusing suitor. Given their roster makeup, pursuing a player like Domantas Sabonis seems counterintuitive, especially when they have a center like Zach Edey anchoring their big man rotation. However, with Memphis emerging as one of the top teams in the West early in the season, another roster overhaul wouldn't be out of the question.
Unlike the other teams, Memphis doesn't have the player assets to match Domantas Sabonis' salary. Still, with roughly $39.0 million in cap space, the Grizzlies could easily absorb Sabonis' contract by packaging the expiring contracts of Taylor Hendricks ($7.8 million) and Olivier Maxence-Prosper ($2.4 million) along with two to three first-round picks.
Of the four, the most favorable offer for the Kings would depend on their priorities. Since young talent is lacking in virtually every deal, and Memphis' status is largely dependent on the team's performance this season, maximizing their returns on draft assets and future cap flexibility may prove worthwhile. In this regard, one could argue that the Hornets or Nets may be the best trade partners for the Kings.
