Despite most of the major moves this offseason already being made, the Sacramento Kings have popped up in recent days due to comments made by NBA Insider Jake Fischer. In a recent video, Fischer insinuated that former All-Star big man of the Kings, Domantas Sabonis, and the franchise are open to a trade.
Working on the assumption that there is some truth to this rumor, and considering that Sabonis hired a new agent, ESPN's Brian Windhorst, on his podcast The Hoop Collective, pointed out that it could be a precursor to a new contract/trade. Then there should be interest in the playmaking big man around the league. Three teams could secure Sabonis from Sacramento, and it's important to review the potential trades that these teams could offer.
Let's be clear: these trades won't include any sign-and-trades, so no Sabonis-for-Jalen Duren potential trades where Sabonis ends up with the Detroit Pistons. These trades will also be ranked by destination in terms of how much in contention these teams may or may not be. All trades have been tested on spotrac.com.
3. New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans are in the midst of a rebuild and need to move on from their previous identity and lean into their youth movement focused on Jeramiah Fears and, more particularly, playmaking big man Derrick Queen. Queen showed flashes as a rookie, but struggled as the season wound down. Finding the right mentor for Queen should be high on the Pelicans' priority list. Enter Sabonis, who in a lot of ways is what Queen can become on offense.
This potential deal has the Kings getting former first overall Pick Zion Williamson, who, when healthy, is an All-Star-caliber player. They also add forward depth with Saddiq Bey and add depth at the combo guard position with Jordan Poole. Both Poole and Zach LaVine are on expiring deals, whereas Sabonis and Williamson have one year left on their respective deals; neither team is losing financial flexibility on this deal.
No picks are included because, while Williamson is the overall best player, Poole's contract is one of the worst in the league, so getting off of it should be considered a win for the Pels. This trade allows both teams to reset the culture by moving on from a star big man who doesn't fit their respective teams' timelines. The reason that the Pelicans are fourth on this list, though, is due to the unlikelihood that New Orleans will be a playoff contender if this trade does occur.
2. Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are in a full rebuild after trading Giannis Antetokounmpo this past offseason. Aside from arguably Tyler Herro, the Bucks don't have many viable veterans to help lead this young core, and that's where Sabonis comes in.
The Bucks get to veterans in Sabonis and forward DeAndre Hunter. Hunter's on an expiring contract, which should entice the Bucks in this deal, as they could potentially flip him later in the season. In Milwaukee, Sabonis and Herro can develop a nice two-man game on offense, and arguably Sabonis would be able to thrive as the primary option with the Bucks.
The Kings get Myles Turner, who can in theory, stretch the floor and be a rim protector which fits the defensive identity they are trying to build. Kyle Kuzma and Caris Levirt are on expiring deals that they might be able to trade near the trade deadline. The prize for the Kings is Jamie Jaquez Jr. , who was a Sixth Man of the Year candidate last season, and the two second round picks. It might not be the a kings ransom that Sacramento was hoping for their former All-Star, but this is solid
1. Los Angeles Clippers
While the Kawhi Leonard investigation is over for the Los Angeles Clippers, the trade to send him to the Toronto Raptors hasn't been made official yet at the time this article was published. However, working under the assumption that the Clippers do get Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick plus picks, the Clippers are a legitimate starting center away from being a legit playoff team in the Western Conference.
Right now the Clippers only have Brook Lopez, who's been in the league for nearly 20 years, Isaiah Jackson, who's an undersized backup and three young centers in Johni Broom, Baba Miller, and Yanic Konan Niederhäuser. They have a nice perimeter threat with Ingram, Darius Garland, Bradley Beal, and Rui Hachimura, but they need a center.
The Clippers' salary cap situation is tricky, so this is a one-for-three player trade, but because it's the offseason, this can work. The Clippers get Sabonis and a chance to compete for a playoff spot. This also addresses their rebounding problem last season, in which they were ranked second-to-last in rebounds per game.
This is where things get a bit tricky due to the Raptors and the NBA's sanctions against the Clippers, so they don't have much wiggle room to work with in terms of picks. They are receiving two unprotected first-round picks from the Toronto Raptors once the Leonard deal is finalized. The Kings get the 2031 first-round pick via the Raptors in this deal. Getting expiring contracts and a first-round pick for Sabonis is a solid return.
Finding a winning situation for Sabonis is tricky at the moment because most teams that are in a position to win already have their starting center. However, the three teams mentioned above could acquire Sabonis from the Sacramento Kings to give him a fresh start.
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