New NBA Trade Rumors on Domantas Sabonis Reveal 'A Lot of Interest' in Kings Star
Don't be surprised if veteran big man Domantas Sabonis changes addresses this summer.
"There's a lot of interest in Sabonis and there's a possibility that the Sacramento Kings may look to see what his trade market might be as they look to pivot their franchise," ESPN's Brian Windhorst said during second-round coverage of the NBA draft on Wednesday night.
The 30-year-old center appeared in just 19 games last season, beset by a meniscus tear that ended his season for good in February. He averaged 15.8 points and 11.4 rebounds per game when he did play, each his lowest marks since the 2018-19 season.
The three-time All-Star and two-time third-team All-NBA selection is the best trade piece the Kings have among their veterans, and it's clear that a major rebuild is needed. A core group of Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and DeAndre Hunter isn't going to cut it in the loaded Western Conference.
Instead, rebuilding around players like first-round picks Darius Acuff Jr. and Alex Karaban—alongside Keegan Murray, Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud—makes far more sense.
Even if a Sabonis trade doesn't materialize, change is coming, with reports that DeRozan could be waived and stretched (given that only $10 million of his deal is guaranteed, the cap implications of such a move would be fairly mild).
The Kings really need a fresh start around younger talent. Parting ways with Sabonis and DeRozan will be a part of that process.
