According to a recent report, the Sacramento Kings are expected to shop DeMar DeRozan on the trade market. If the Kings, under a new front office regime, are serious about parting ways with their veteran talent and rebuilding, then trading DeRozan isn’t enough, and Domantas Sabonis will need to be dealt away as well.
With three seasons left on his contract and as the best rebounder in the league, Sabonis would trail only Giannis Antetokounmpo as the most sought-after player on the trade block.
The Los Angeles Lakers, after their first-round exit, will likely look for a player who can both maximize the end of LeBron James’ prime and be Luka Doncic’s long-term running mate, and Sabonis fits the bill.
He won’t come cheap, but a three-team trade could allow the Kings to rebuild, the Lakers to contend in the West, and the Memphis Grizzlies to bounce back after two disappointing seasons in a row.
Assuming that the Kings are interested in a full-on rebuild, adding as much draft capital while shedding as much salary will be the priority. The Grizzlies, with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., can compete in the West but could use an added star (or two!), and the Lakers need a paint presence and a scorer who is not that ball-dominant.
While this mock trade certainly makes the Kings less competitive, the massive haul of young talent and draft capital would make it worth it in the long run.
Kings receive: Rui Hachimura, Dorian Finney-Smith, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kelber, Dalton Knecht, 2027 first-round pick (via MEM), 2029 first-round pick (via MEM), 2031 first-round pick (via LAL), 2031 first-round pick (via MEM)
The Lakers get Sabonis for Knecht and a pick, which is what they were going to pay for Mark Williams during the season. They do have to give up Reaves, but replace him with Desmond Bane, who is less talented, but would fit in well with James and Doncic.
The Grizzlies, meanwhile, add a high-level scorer in DeRozan and a fringe All-Star guard next to Morant. A starting five of Morant, Reaves, DeRozan, Jackson Jr., and Zach Edey is pretty solid, and they get to keep key depth pieces as well.
The Kings, meanwhile, get to shed the salaries of Finney-Smith, Kelber, Vincent, and Hachimura next offseason when they are free agents, and have only one more season after that of paying LaVine. Once LaVine is off the books, the Kings will have three first-round picks in 2027, two in 2029, and two in 2031, as well as a single pick in both 2028 and 2030, as well as plenty of cap space.
It’s not a fast rebuild in Sacramento, but fans of the Kings have developed more patience than any other fan base in the league.
Some have criticized Sabonis’ potential fit and contract in Los Angeles, and his lack of defensive prowess is certainly a concern, although his offensive fit next to Doncic in a post-James era would be pretty seamless
While losing Reaves is a massive loss, the long-term viability of him in Hollywood is questionable, anyway, and replacing him with Bane, who is one of the best shooters in the league, is a pretty solid deal.
This Kings’ roster is not going to compete with their current construction, and blowing it all up for the best roster possible is hard to pass up, especially when Knecht is included in the deal, rounding out the wings long-term next to Keegan Murray.
