Domantas Sabonis could become the biggest name on the trade market. The Lithuanian center has two years and $94 million remaining on his contract with the Sacramento Kings, but the franchise is unwilling to offer an extension, leaving them free to listen to offers. According to Brian Windhorst and Anthony Slater on ESPN, there is already interest from other teams.
His 2025-26 Numbers
Last season was the most difficult of his recent career. Sabonis was able to play in only 19 games due to injuries, but when he was on the court he remained his usual self: 15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. In other words, a double-double average even in a broken season.
That is exactly the argument in his favor. And also the starting point for this story, because the player arrives completely recovered at the preseason campus with the intention of recovering the numbers that have made him one of the best centers in the league in recent years.
The Obstacle Has Numbers
The difficulty of any trade isn't interest, but the contract. Sabonis will earn $45.4 million this season and $48.6 million next season, both years fully guaranteed. Absorbing that salary requires the receiving team to match the figure with their own players or have a margin that almost no one has, especially under the salary cap restrictions imposed on the biggest-spending franchises.
Add his age—he turned 30 in May—and his injury history from last season, and you understand why Sacramento might want to move him now, when he still has market value, rather than a year from now with the contract closer to expiring and the player a year older.
What's at Stake in the Coming Weeks
The approach is similar to what is attributed to Dallas with Kyrie Irving: let the player prove on the court that he's healthy and decide afterward. If Sabonis starts the season stringing together double-doubles, his value rises and the franchise can choose between keeping him or negotiating from a position of strength. If injuries return, the contract becomes a burden difficult to place.
That's why the coming weeks are decisive. Not for the market, which still has months ahead, but to know what kind of asset Sacramento is really dealing with.