For a couple of weeks now, a trade between the Sacramento Kings and the Toronto Raptors involving Domantas Sabonis has been rumored. Keon Ellis was also included in those same rumors as part of the deal. If that's true, sending Ellis to Cleveland could put the Raptors trade in jeopardy.
The Kings have been talking about moving Sabonis since the beginning of the season. He can be a real threat when the offense is run through him, but he's also incredibly weak on defense. With a new wind blowing towards defense in Sacramento, it's time for the Kings to move in that direction.
Being an offensively-minded center who doesn't offer a significant defensive presence already makes Sabonis a difficult trade. Making that situation even more complicated is the fact that he has two full seasons left on his contract after 2025-2026 worth over $100 million. It's a hard trade.
Toronto enters the trade conversation
Despite that, there are teams that have shown interest, particularly the Toronto Raptors. They have a solid team led by Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram, but they need a centre who is impactful on offense. Barnes is a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, so that should make up for Sabonis.
On the Raptors' end, the Kings are quite interested in R.J. Barrett. Current Sacramento general manager Scott Perry was the GM of the Knicks when Barrett was drafted third overall by New York in 2019. Reportedly, Perry wants to bring R.J. to Sactown.
Beyond that, Toronto's trade offering would likely include some combination of Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poeltl, and draft picks. Given the current logjam at the five, the Kings may be most interested in Quickley for his three-point shooting and the draft picks for roster building.
How Keon Ellis factors into this
Considering how valuable a trade commodity Ellis was around the league, the Kings could have included him in their trade package to Toronto. This would have made moving Sabonis and his big ol' contract easier for the Raptors to work with.
The Kings sending Ellis to Cleveland as part of a three-team trade doesn't end the potential deal with Toronto by any stretch of the imagination. It just removes another option when trying to work this trade with the Raptors out. Including Ellis definitely could have greased the wheels, so to speak.
With the trade deadline coming up on Thursday, there's no guarantee that Sabonis will be moved. If a deal does get made, it's most likely to be with the Raptors. However it works out right now, the offseason is not that far away, and a trade with Toronto could still happen then.