As the NBA trade deadline inches closer, the Toronto Raptors and Sacramento Kings are starting to surface in the rumor mill - and there’s a familiar name at the center of it all. According to league sources, Toronto has shown renewed interest in Kings big man Domantas Sabonis, while Sacramento may have its eye on Raptors forward RJ Barrett.
This isn’t the first time these two teams have circled each other, but the timing feels more pointed now. Both franchises are at a bit of a crossroads - the Raptors looking to solidify their frontcourt, and the Kings trying to recalibrate amid a rough stretch without their All-Star center.
Let’s start with Sabonis. When healthy, he’s been the engine of Sacramento’s frontcourt - a bruising, skilled big who can score, rebound, and facilitate.
Through 11 games this season, the 29-year-old has averaged 17.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per contest, shooting an efficient 51% from the floor in 33.2 minutes per night. But a partial meniscus tear has sidelined him since mid-November, and the Kings have felt his absence in a big way.
They’ve dropped from a 3-11 start to 6-20, including a recent loss to the Timberwolves that extended their current skid.
Sabonis is in the second year of a four-year, $186 million deal - a hefty contract that runs through 2027-28 and pays him $42.3 million this season. Any trade involving him would require serious salary matching, and that’s where Barrett comes in.
The 25-year-old swingman has been a steady hand for Toronto this season when available. He’s putting up 19.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game, shooting 50.6% from the field and a respectable 35.6% from deep.
He’s played in 17 games, averaging just under 31 minutes per night, but has been out since late November with a right knee sprain. Still, the Raptors have managed to hold their own in his absence, improving from 12-5 to 16-11 after snapping a four-game losing streak with a win over the Heat on Monday.
Barrett is in the third year of the four-year, $107 million rookie extension he signed with the Knicks back in 2022. He’s earning $27.7 million this season and is under contract through the 2026-27 campaign. That makes him a viable trade piece in terms of both talent and salary mechanics.
There’s another layer to this potential connection: Kings GM Scott Perry is the same executive who drafted Barrett during his time with the Knicks. That familiarity could help grease the wheels if talks between the two sides heat up. It’s also worth noting that Barrett’s name has floated in trade discussions before - most notably in talks with New Orleans involving Brandon Ingram.
Toronto’s interest in Sabonis fits with a broader pattern. The Raptors have consistently kept tabs on high-level frontcourt talent, with names like Anthony Davis and even Giannis Antetokounmpo previously linked to their radar. Sabonis, while not quite on that tier, still represents a significant upgrade in the paint - a physical presence who can anchor the offense and give Toronto a new dimension.
For Sacramento, the calculus is a bit different. With Sabonis out, the Kings have struggled to find consistency. Adding a versatile scorer like Barrett - someone who can create his own shot, stretch the floor, and defend multiple positions - could help balance their roster and provide a long-term building block alongside De’Aaron Fox.
Whether these talks gain traction remains to be seen, but the framework is there. A potential swap involving Sabonis and Barrett would be one of the more intriguing moves of the trade season - not just because of the talent involved, but because of what it says about where each franchise sees itself heading.
For now, both teams have business to take care of. Toronto wraps up a two-game road swing Thursday night against the Bucks before returning home to face Boston. Sacramento, looking to end a three-game slide, takes on the Trail Blazers Thursday before kicking off a four-game homestand - also against Portland.
The trade chatter may be heating up, but the games keep coming. And as always in the NBA, the line between buyer and seller can shift fast.