NBA Trade Rumors: Raptors eyeing $186M double-double machine to pair with Scottie Barnes

The Toronto Raptors are retooling the roster around Scottie Barnes to compete for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference next season. They traded for former New Orleans Pelicans star Brandon Ingram before the 2025 trade deadline but are expected to make more offseason moves. Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis could be next on their shopping list.

In mid-April, NBA analyst Jake Weinbach reported that Sabonis was a name to monitor in the offseason trade market. Following another failure by the Kings to make the playoffs, Weinbach doubled down on that speculation.

Jake Weinbach

@JWeinbachNBA

The Raptors are one team to keep an eye on in a potential pursuit for Domantas Sabonis if the Kings decide to shift in a different direction.

Toronto should explore all kinds of different avenues to upgrade the roster with playoff contention in mind next season.

Sabonis, who signed a four-year, $186 million deal with the Kings in 2023, has led the NBA in double-doubles over the past two seasons. The Latvian also topped the league in rebounding for the third straight time. The Raptors would be getting a versatile and bruising big man, who is also one of the most efficient scorers in the NBA if they acquire him.

Late in March, a report came out that Domantas Sabonis could ask for a trade if he does not see a clear direction for the Sacramento Kings. If he goes that route in the offseason, the Toronto Raptors could jump on that chance to add him to a roster featuring Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram.

Prying Sabonis away from Sacramento will not be easy for the Raptors. To match salaries, the Spotrac trade machine approved an RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl trade to Sacramento for Domas and Devin Carter. Toronto can grease the wheels of a trade involving the NBA’s king of double-doubles by adding a 2026 first-round pick.

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Fans react to Raptors’ rumored interest in pairing Domantas Sabonis with Scottie Barnes

The Toronto Raptors have not made the postseason since 2022 when they lost in six games to Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers. To get into the mix of Eastern Conference playoff contenders, they added Brandon Ingram in February. Potentially acquiring Domantas Sabonis to pair with Ingram and Scottie Barnes prompted fans to react.

Smash

@SmashKnowsBall

Feels like the raptors are in pursuit of everybody 😭😭

One fan said:

James M.

@j37baller

I think this is probably much more realistic than the prospect of getting Giannis, for potentially a considerably smaller cost.

Another fan added:

Graham Maclagan

@GMaclagan

Ya’ll can’t keep playing with my hopes here. First the Greek Freak and now Sabonis.

One more fan continued:

rick marsonet

@RMarsonet

maybe Sabonis, Keegan Murray for Poetl, Barrett, Agbaji and a 1st

Another fan commented:

Lone Ranger

@lone_ranger017

STOP

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Domantas Sabonis is in the books for three more years with the Sacramento Kings. The 29-year-old big man is still in the prime years of his career. If he wants a change of scenery or the Kings want to move on from him, they will push to get the right return.

Per Bovida Official, Sabonis is +500 and the favorite over two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to land in Toronto. Only time will tell if Scottie Barnes will play with either star once the new season starts.