The Kings have been trying to find a winning combination. Domantas Sabonis would reportedly prefer to find his next one somewhere else.
According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, the three-time All-Star is unhappy in Sacramento, and the Kings would be willing to trade him.
“Quite frankly, Sabonis wants out of there, and if they can move him, they would,” MacMahon said on The Hoop Collective. “So he’s not happy. It’s a bad situation.”
That’s a strong assessment, though it doesn’t establish that Sabonis has formally requested a trade. It does suggest the Kings have more to sort out than their winless start.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst added that Sacramento would be open to moving Sabonis, but a deal still would have to “make sense” for the franchise, as BasketNews relayed.
In other words, being willing to part ways and finding an acceptable return are two different things. Sabonis has approximately $94 million guaranteed over this season and next, making this a substantial commitment for any interested team.
He also remains productive. Through six games, Sabonis is averaging 16.0 points, 15.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists, following a season limited to 19 appearances by a knee injury and meniscus surgery.
Sacramento previously explored a potential deal involving Pistons center Jalen Duren, according to MacMahon. Detroit wasn’t interested in sending Duren to the Kings for Sabonis.
Sabonis changed representation during the offseason, hiring Aaron Mintz of CAA. That move prompted questions about his future, though an agent change alone doesn’t establish a desire to leave.
MacMahon’s comments are considerably more direct.
The Kings acquired Sabonis in the 2022 trade that sent Tyrese Haliburton to Indiana. A year later, he helped end Sacramento’s 16-year playoff drought. Now, with the roster changing around rookie Darius Acuff Jr., his place in the next version of the Kings is becoming a much bigger question.
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