Kings’ ideal Domantas Sabonis replacement is already on the roster

It's not exactly a secret that Domantas Sabonis is on the trade block. Currently tied for the worst record in the West, the Sacramento Kings are reportedly ready to commit to a rebuild, making Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan trade candidates.

Sabonis is dealing with a knee injury, which in turn has given rookie Maxime Raynaud a pathway to real minutes, and he's taking advantage of this opportunity. The second-round pick is averaging 10.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and an assist on 52.1/33.3/76.1 shooting splits. Over the past three games, Raynaud is averaging 19.3 points and 12 rebounds!

Raynaud's emergence only makes a Sabonis more likely, and having a center ready to take the reins could also change what type of trade package the Kings value.

Maxime Raynaud makes Sabonis even more expendable

I've always advocated for the Kings to trade Sabonis (and others) to fully start fresh. Even though they would be rebuilding, one thing I wonder about is what the center rotation would look like without Sabonis, since it's unlikely they'd get a quality big man in return for me. With Raynaud's stellar play, though, this isn't a concern for me anymore.

Raynaud isn't the same center as Sabonis. However, as a skilled offensive big man, there are some similarities. Perhaps the most intriguing part of Raynaud's game is his floor spacing. I'll admit that 33.3 percent 3-point shooting on 0.9 attempts doesn't jump off the page. Still, he shot 34.7 percent on 5.5 3s in his season at Stanford, and he has nice shooting touch. Raynaud is also shooting 68 percent at the rim, which is slightly higher than Sabonis.

While I don't think he'll ever be used as a true playmaking hub like Sabonis is, Raynaud has great feel as a playmaker and is comfortable handling the ball at times. At 22, Raynaud doesn't have as much upside as a 19-year-old rookie. Regardless, any rookie has upside, and for a Kings team that is devoid of young talent, his development should be a priority.

Defensively, Raynaud isn't elite by any means, but he has shown signs of being a quality drop coverage rim protector. Raynaud averages 1.1 blocks per 100 possessions while Sabonis averages just 0.3 blocks per 100.

None of this is to say that Raynaud is better than Sabonis right now; rather, trading him makes even more sense when you have a rookie who can handle a bigger role.

Trade suitors for Domantas Sabonis

Despite his talent, finding a suitor for Sabonis is tricky given his playstyle and contract. However, one known suitor that makes a lot of sense to me is the Toronto Raptors. Last week, Jake Fischer noted that the Raptors have interest in Sabonis. Kings general manager, Scott Perry, drafted RJ Barrett with the New York Knicks. As a result, if a deal happens, it's expected to be centered around Barrett.

Fischer also noted that the Raptors wouldn't part ways with Jakob Poeltl in a possible Sabonis trade, which paves the way for Raynaud to remain the Kings' starting center. A trade centered around Barrett, some young talent, and/or salary filler with some draft capital seems like a deal in the best interest of both teams.

One suitor that I like a bit less but has also been reported by Fischer is the Chicago Bulls. Fischer noted the connection with Lithuanian GM Artūras Karnišovas and Nikola Vučević's expiring contract. It also doesn't take a genius to note how many former Bulls have found their way to Sacramento. If this trade happens, I hope the Kings move off LaVine and/or DeRozan in another move.

While I could see this trade, I don't like it as much for either side, and Vučević's presence would complicate things for Raynaud.

Sam Amick of The Athletic also mentioned the Washington Wizards and Phoenix Suns as suitors for Sabonis. Both landing spots intrigue me, but I wonder if the Wizards would really make a win-now move, while I'm curious about how he'd fit in with the Suns' defense.

Wherever he goes, it seems certain that the Kings will trade Sabonis, and thankfully, they have an ideal replacement in Raynaud.

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