If the Sacramento Kings were to trade Domantas Sabonis, it appears one Eastern Conference team might be a clear favorite in the sweepstakes, according to one report from HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.
Scotto writes: Should those Sabonis talks ever reignite with Toronto, it’s worth noting that Kings general manager Scott Perry drafted Raptors swingman RJ Barrett when he was with the Knicks and remains fond of him. Since last season, when HoopsHype reported Barrett was discussed in the Brandon Ingram trade talks with the New Orleans Pelicans, Toronto has continued to gauge the trade market on his value, sources said.
It's not surprising that the Kings may be looking to sell. They came into the year hoping to take a step forward and make some decent noise, but those aspirations have fallen apart in relatively short order. Changes are going to be necessary after what this team has shown through the first two months of the season.
One of the biggest issues has been consistency on defense. Sacramento has had stretches where they look like a top defensive unit, thanks in large part to Sabonis’ rebounding and rim presence. But there are also nights where perimeter rotations lag and they give up too many open looks, and that’s something that a star big man alone can’t cover up. In a loaded West, an inconsistent defense is a liability no matter how effective your offensive talent is.
An RJ Barrett-Domantas Sabonis swap is a real possibility
Offensively, the Kings still employ a decent amount of talent. The backcourt has done a decent job pushing pace and creating for others, but there are times when the half-court offense still feels like it’s missing that last gear, especially when Sabonis is off the floor.
That’s where the chatter around moving him comes from. If you can flip Sabonis for a combination of younger, more dynamic pieces that fit a modern pace-and-space identity even better, you might be able to unlock a new version of this team. The Raptors connection makes sense not just because of RJ Barrett’s ties to Scott Perry, but because Barrett offers a blend of size, shooting, and secondary creation that could help Sacramento become a more complete offensive unit.
Of course, no trade like that comes without risk. Sabonis is still one of the best big men in the game, and losing his rebounding and interior gravity would leave a void. The Kings would need to have a clear plan for how they’d replace that, and it’s far from certain that any deal could truly replicate what he brings on both ends.
But the fact that Sacramento is even having these discussions publicly tells you how desperate the franchise is to find a path to relevance in the West. Whether or not a Sabonis trade ultimately happens, the rumor itself underscores how much this season has fallen short of expectations and how urgently the Kings are thinking about reshaping their future.