The Kings nearly traded Domantas Sabonis to the Toronto Raptors at the deadline in February -- a move he would've welcomed, a source with knowledge of the situation said -- for a package that included RJ Barrett, but the Raptors were unable to get off the three-year, $84 million remaining on Jakob Poeltl's contract, which doomed the deal.
More on Domantas Sabonis: Recent HoopsHype Rumors
Sean Cunningham: Domantas Sabonis will be courtside in Vegas for today's Kings summer league game against the Wizards. — 7/12/2026 Twitter @SeanCunningham
Meanwhile, Perry also is expecting Sabonis to play a big role in Sacramento’s rebuild following a disappointing 22-60 record during the 2025-26 season, despite previous reports that the Kings were in trade talks with the Charlotte Hornets involving
the three-time NBA All-Star center. “Come in and compete just like everybody else,” Perry told reporters. “Obviously, he’s an excellent player. He’s done it for a while in this league. I’ve been in constant contact with him as well in the offseason. Just expect him to come in here healthy, first and foremost, and he’s trending in that direction. “Obviously, he missed a lot of last year because he was not. He’s always played hard, and so I expect him to do that. Provide some veteran presence for this team and really have a tremendous rebound year and help us build some winning habits here and start heading in the right direction.” — 7/9/2026 NBC Sports Bay Area
The Pistons have maintained their stance that they’re not interested in sign-and-trade scenarios for Jalen Duren and will continue to try to bridge the gap between both sides and get a deal done. Duren and Domantas Sabonis share the same agency, The Team. With Sabonis, 30, naturally looking to compete in the prime of his career instead of beginning a rebuild, and the Kings exploring the trade market for Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan, it’s easy to see why this Duren sign-and-trade scenario would appeal to Sacramento. On paper, however, going from the 22-year-old Duren to the 30-year-old Sabonis, who’s owed $94.08 million over the next two years, isn’t prudent for Detroit. — 7/2/2026 HoopsHype
Duren, as The Athletic has reported, is a restricted free agent who is taking meetings with the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings Tuesday with the hopes of finding a sign-and-trade pathway out of town. The gap in negotiations between Duren and the Pistons sparked this strategy, but it remains possible the two sides eventually strike a deal — especially considering the signals sent by the Pistons. Detroit does not have interest in the Kings’ scenario, which would send three-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis their way as a replacement for Duren, according to league sources who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe ongoing deliberations. — 6/30/2026 New York Times
James Ham: According to Alex Karaban, Domantas Sabonis, Nique Clifford and Precious Achiuwa all reached out after he was drafted. — 6/29/2026 Twitter @James_HamNBA
Sam Amick: Per league sources, the most likely scenario here would include Kings forward Domantas Sabonis heading to Detroit. The key question now is how the Pistons see the situation, in light of the gap between them and Duren and the chance to get a three-time All-Star in return. — 6/29/2026 x.com
League sources say the Kings are scheduled to meet with Duren at the start of free agency on Tuesday. The key here, per sources, is that Sacramento plans to pitch the Pistons on an offer that includes three-time All-Star center Domantas Sabonis heading to Detroit. It’s unclear how the Pistons might see that scenario, but the Kings are clearly serious about the prospect of landing the 22-year-old. To this point, Detroit has been signaling a strong desire to keep Duren. There will likely be other teams involved as well, but the Kings have been given the go-ahead to take their best shot at getting Duren first. — 6/29/2026 New York Times
Sam Amick: To add on here, I’m told that Jalen Duren very much wants to play in Sacramento and Kings big man Domantas Sabonis is likewise interested in the prospect of landing with the Pistons. — 6/29/2026 Twitter @sam_amick
Oh No He Didn't: Brian Windhorst: "There's a lot of interest in Sabonis and there's a possibility that the Kings may look to see what his trade market might be as they look to pivot their franchise" — 6/24/2026 x.com
The Lithuanian national team has revealed its shortened 15-player roster for the July World Cup qualifying window, with three NBA players making the list. The squad includes Matas Buzelis, Jonas Valanciunas, and Kasparas Jakucionis, giving Lithuania a strong NBA presence heading into the summer window. However, one major name is missing from the candidate list. Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis was not included in the 30-man roster. — 6/12/2026 BasketNews
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Kings nearly traded Domantas Sabonis to Raptors for package that included RJ Barrett
