Trade chatter around Domantas Sabonis keeps picking up, and one of the more intriguing landing spots mentioned is Utah.
Tony Jones of The Athletic sees the Jazz as a strong match for the Sacramento big man, saying Sabonis would do "wonders for the offense," especially with guards Keyonte George, Isaiah Collier and rookie Darryn Peterson around him. The appeal is easy to see: Sabonis is one of the league’s premier screen setters, and at 6-foot-10 he led all centers in screen assists, creating 33.8 points per game for his teammates, according to Basketball University on X.
That kind of engine could fit neatly with what Utah is trying to build. The Jazz need a true pick-and-roll force, particularly with Jaren Jackson Jr. sidelined by a torn right MCL for six to eight weeks and Lauri Markkanen day-to-day because of a right wrist sprain. Both Jackson and Markkanen are dangerous pick-and-pop options, too, with Jackson a career 35.1% shooter and Markkanen at 36.9%.
Sabonis brings a different kind of pressure. He thrives as a short-roll passer, slipping into the middle of the defense and turning that space into easy looks for teammates. Put that next to guards who can attack downhill, and Utah could have a real offensive problem for opponents.
There’s just one major obstacle: money. Sabonis is making $45 million this season and $48 million next season, and Utah does not have many contracts in that range to make a deal work. Jackson and Markkanen are the only players on similar money who could realistically help match salary, and the Jazz are unlikely to move either one.
Utah already committed heavily to Markkanen, extending him for five years and $238 million in August 2024 after sending three future first-round picks to Memphis in February to get him. That leaves Jusuf Nurkić at $11.4 million and Josh Green at $14.7 million as possible trade chips, but those salaries still fall short of what’s needed for Sabonis.
The alternative would be including No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson, and that’s a tough sell for a lottery rookie. The Jazz would also need to use the $15 million trade player exception from the Walker Kessler deal to bring in a mid-sized salary before Dec. 6, since players face a two-month aggregation restriction after being traded.
So the fit is there, at least on the court. Whether Utah can actually make the numbers work is the real question, and the clock is already running if the Jazz want to give the 30-year-old Sabonis a fresh start.
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