New NBA Trade Rumors on Domantas Sabonis as Ja Morant, Giannis Available Before Draft, Free Agency

NBA executives are expecting the Sacramento Kings to place center Domantas Sabonis on the trade block this summer, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported Saturday.

According to Fischer, Sabonis has joined the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo and Memphis Grizzlies' Ja Morant as one of the players "league executives are projecting to be made available once again as part of this summer's trade landscape."

"Sacramento is known to be looking to shed some significant salary if it can this offseason and seems likely to field more interest in Sabonis than other veterans," Fischer reported.

Sabonis has two years remaining on his current contract with the Kings, per Spotrac. He is set to play next season under a $45.5 million cap hit.

The Athletic's Sam Amick and Eric Koreen previously reported the Toronto Raptors had "genuine interest" in Sabonis ahead of the trade deadline.

An obstacle to that deal was the Raptors' contract with center Jakob Poetl, which Amick and Koreen reported the Kings weren't willing to take on in the exchange.

"Unless you see a deal unfold in which Poeltl heads elsewhere to make room for Sabonis, this is an ongoing discussion that will likely resume in the offseason," Amick and Koreen reported in February.

Fischer also reported in May rival teams had floated the Philadelphia 76ers as a potential trade suitor should the Sixers move Joel Embiid this offseason.

"One longshot scenario that does get mentioned by rival team strategists is an Embiid-for-Domantas Sabonis swap with Sacramento … but even longshot might be underselling it," Fischer reported in May.

Sabonis admitted there was "a lot of uncertainty" about his future with the Kings in his end-of-season exit interview in April.

The Kings went 22-60 last season, during which Sabonis appeared in just 19 games after suffering a meniscus tear in November and undergoing season-ending surgery in February.

Sacramento said at the time Sabonis' health would be re-evaluated before the start of training camp this fall.

"I don't know what that feels like. But I can control what I control, and that is getting back to that All-NBA player that I know I can be," Sabonis said.

Sabonis added: "I always want to get better as a player, no matter where I am. But I'm very happy here, you all know that, and things like this, you've just got to focus on my knee, my rehab, and getting back to the player I am."

How teams view Sabonis' ability to filly recover from his knee surgery could impact what offers the Kings receive for the three-time All-Star this summer.