Trade Packages and Landing Spots for Sacramento Kings Star Domantas Sabonis

Just under four years ago, Domantas Sabonis was the best player on a Sacramento Kings team that looked ready to establish a winning culture after decades of incompetence.

He led the Kings to the playoffs in 2023, and they've steadily declined ever since.

It's early, but this season, they look like maybe the only safe pick to wind up in the league's new "relegation zone" (the bottom three records have a worse shot at the No. 1 pick than the teams with the fourth- through 10th-worst records).

And before they get there, it looks like Sabonis may want out.

Whether he's explicitly told the team that or not, if Sacramento makes Sabonis available, there are teams that should be interested.

Since he joined the Kings five-plus years ago, Sabonis has averaged 18.9 points, 13.1 rebounds and 6.9 assists. He comes with real defensive concerns, but the 2022-23 Kings proved you can work around those.

Below are some realistic moves that would put him on teams that would do just that.

Atlanta Sizes Up

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Hawks Receive: Domantas Sabonis

Kings Receive: CJ McCollum, Luguentz Dort and a top-eight protected 2029 first-round pick

The Atlanta Hawks are loaded with length and athleticism. And at least in theory, that should help them rebound, but it hasn't translated to much more than mediocre numbers in that category the last two seasons.

Sometimes, you need more brute strength and sheer size, and that's exactly what Sabonis would add.

Counting this season, he's led the league in rebounds per game in four of the last five seasons. And while his defense has been a problem in the past, Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are the kind of athletes on the perimeter who could protect him.

Pairing his passing with Johnson's would also give the Hawks one of the most dynamic playmaking frontcourts.

They'd lose some leadership and three-point shooting by including CJ McCollum in this deal. And Luguentz Dort has been a solid addition to the defense. But Kingston Flemings already looks more ready for real responsibility than anticipated. Aaron Wiggins has been a boost to the guard and wing depth. And Onyeka Okongwu may be mobile enough to spend some time alongside Sabonis.

For the Kings, this is mostly about getting a pick, but McCollum and Dort might also be good vets for Darius Acuff to develop around. The former could help Acuff know how and when to pick his spots offensively, and the latter could impress the importance of perimeter defense on him.

Golden State Embraces a New Era

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Warriors Receive: Domantas Sabonis

Kings Receive: Draymond Green (trade-eligible on December 15), Kristaps Porziņģis, Will Richard and a top-four protected 2032 first-round pick

The Golden State Warriors' better-than-expected start makes a Draymond Green trade harder to imagine, but they look like a near-ideal landing spot for Sabonis, and they simply can't get him without including Green or Jimmy Butler.

The more logical approach, assuming the Warriors really want to chase one more title with Stephen Curry, is to pair Green's salary with the Kristaps Porziņģis contract, which was essentially designed to be a human trade exception.

The math still doesn't quite work with those two, so Will Richard is also essential, but this is still worth it for Golden State.

Sabonis would be a dramatic upgrade over Green in scoring and rebounding. He's at least as good a passer (though maybe not quite as good a creator). And it's easy to imagine the fit between him and Yaxel Lendeborg. Curry's off-ball movement around either (or both) of those interior hubs would be nearly impossible to stop.

It's maybe a harder sell on the other side of the deal. Neither vet seems like a longterm option for Sacramento, but Green's deal is expiring and Porziņģis' is only guaranteed for $3 million. They represent an opportunity for flexibility, while Sabonis' deal is guaranteed for $48.6 million next season.

That, a flier on 23-year-old Will Richard and a protected draft pick for someone who'll be on his way out in 2028 anyway is good value.

Phoenix Lands a Consistent 5

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Suns Receive: Domantas Sabonis

Kings Receive: Jalen Green, Mark Williams (trade-eligible on January 15) and Rasheer Fleming

The Phoenix Suns' draft assets are essentially spent, but Sacramento may struggle to extract unencumbered first-round picks from anywhere.

And if that's the case, this is a deal the Kings could talk themselves into, especially if Sabonis is planning to walk away in 2028.

It lands the Kings a talented (though flawed) scorer in Jalen Green, who's around eight months older than Yaxel Lendeborg and another upside play in Rasheer Fleming.

Mark Williams is mostly here to match salaries, but his contract runs through 2028-29 and pays him no more than $14 million. He could be another good trade chip down the line.

This framework is easier to understand for Phoenix. Sabonis is six years older than Green (and eight years older than Fleming), but he's on the same timeline as Devin Booker and plays a game much more likely to lift the Suns' star than Green's.

This deal obviously wouldn't push the Suns to immediate title contention, but a starting five of Collin Gillespie, Booker, Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges and Sabonis would make Phoenix a tough out.