Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis entered the offseason as obvious trade chips, but Sacramento never found the kind of market it needed to move either veteran. That leaves the Kings heading into the season with two expensive stars, more patience than leverage, and a simple plan: let the early games do the talking.
The money is the biggest reason the situation stayed stuck. Sacramento owes the pair more than $94 million next season, and their combined salaries accounted for nearly half of the team’s $200 million in commitments before general manager Scott Perry started trimming costs. For a team already squeezed financially, that made any deal complicated before the real conversations even began.
Sabonis drew the most attention. The Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons reportedly all checked in on the three-time All-Star, and one framework with Toronto would have sent RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl to Sacramento to match salary. Barrett has ties to Perry from their time with the New York Knicks, and his name has lingered around the Kings since last year’s trade deadline.
Still, Poeltl’s contract loomed large. He is owed $103.5 million over the next four seasons, and that kind of money could have wiped out the financial flexibility Sacramento is expecting next offseason.
Detroit also surfaced as a possible landing spot after All-Star center Jalen Duren met with the Kings about a sign-and-trade. Duren reportedly wanted the rookie maximum extension of $57.4 million, a move that would have forced Sacramento to send out Sabonis or LaVine. But multiple reports have said the Pistons are not interested in dealing Duren, which took that option off the board.
For now, the Kings are prepared to be patient. They do not want to move Sabonis or LaVine just to make a deal; they want a return that actually matters. ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported that Sabonis recommitted to the team in July after meeting with Perry, and Sacramento is leaning on both veterans to keep its season afloat long enough to build some trade value.
The Kings are projected to win 19 games, which would be three fewer than last season, but that does not mean the stars can’t create a market. Sacramento saw it last year.
After a 2-6 start, LaVine scored 30 points in five of the first six games, while Sabonis grabbed double-digit rebounds in five straight. Even in losses, that kind of production can catch the eye of teams looking for help.
LaVine’s $48.9 million salary comes off the books after the season, but Perry cannot afford to let a 12-year veteran leave without getting something back. The Kings need these first months to work in their favor, because once the deadline arrives, the price for standing still gets a lot steeper.
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