What the Kings won’t do in Domantas Sabonis trade talks with the Raptors
The Sacramento Kings have been on the fight bus for the entire 2025-26 NBA season, currently 8-30 heading into Sunday night’s game against the Houston Rockets. With all their frustrations, it’s no surprise that it is Kings were the subject plenty of trade rumors so far this year, including the ones that are swirling around injured big man Domantas Sabonis.
One team that frequently comes up in Sabonis’ speculation is the Toronto Raptors, but recently, NBA insider Jake Fisher broke down some factors it could lead to the termination of those talks.
“The Kings have also made it clear they’re reluctant to bring back long-term salary as part of any offseason deal they might pursue,” Fisher reported on Marc Stein’s Substack.
He pointed out that this is “a major stumbling block in any discussion regarding Toronto’s much-rumored interest in Domantas Sabonis.”
Fisher also reported that “the Kings are not interested in regaining the contracts of either Immanuel Quickley or Jakob Poeltl” in a potential trade with the Raptors.
Indeed, Poeltl and Quickley are both considered to be on seriously overpaid contracts at the moment, which would certainly limit the flexibility the Raptors have when trying to add to their roster via trade as the deadline approaches.
Meanwhile, the Kings aren’t exactly loaded with flexibility either, especially given Sabonis’ injury situation, which has sidelined him for most of this season.
While Sabonis remains a talented big man, teams are reportedly looking for centers to block shots around the basket, which is one of the few areas where Sabonis doesn’t excel. He also doesn’t provide much of anything beyond the three-point line, which could similarly diminish his value in a trade.
Either way, the Kings and Rockets will tip off Sunday at 9:00 PM ET from Sacramento.
2026-01-11 17:20:00
