An already terrible Sacramento Kings season has been made infinitely worse by an endless string of injuries. One of those players, Domantas Sabonis, has begun his work towards a return. He's unlikely to get wins, though he could cost Sacramento a high lottery spot and more if he does.
Views from Sacramento’s practice today.
— Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) January 8, 2026
Domantas Sabonis is out on the floor once again. pic.twitter.com/m1WUUG2zda
During a recent Kings' practice, Sabonis was spotted back on the floor again, shooting around and working out. It's a sign that his injury is healing and that a return is nearing for the former All-Star. The unfortunate reality is that Sabonis being back in the lineup is unlikely to do much to help the Kings.
Sacramento is one of the worst teams in the league, currently sitting in the second last spot in the Western Conference with a record of eight wins and 30 losses. Sabonis was only around for two of those wins, meaning the Kings are two and nine with him while being six and 21 without.
That gives the Kings a win percentage of 18.2% when Sabonis is playing compared to 22.2% while injured. Sacramento collected six of their eight wins without the support of their starting center, which says something. The numbers basically show that his return is not likely to improve the season.
Sabonis returning could hurt the Kings in the long-term
Still, those numbers don't tell the whole story. If Sabonis returns to the Kings before he gets traded, he might be in fighting form. He could become the dominant double-double machine that fans knew from the De'Aaron Fox and Mike Brown Beam Team days. Maybe he will drive wins for the Kings.
That could impact the 2026 NBA Draft. If the Kings keep losing like this, and they probably will, Sacramento will likely end up with a choice lottery pick. If Domantas remains a King for now and helps win even a few additional games, the likelihood of getting that pick will decrease.
Even worse, Sabonis hitting the court means him taking back his starting center position. That in turn means Maxime Raynaud heads back to the bench, stifling his meteoric rise in the All-Star's absence. Then, Dylan Cardwell is bumped down the bench, also slowing down his growth.
Honestly, the best-case scenario for Sacramento is that they manage to engineer a trade before the deadline and avoid these potential issues altogether. If he does return to the team and takes his spot back, his impact on the rebuild process has the potential to be devastating.