Kings facing Domantas Sabonis dilemma ahead of trade deadline

With Domantas Sabonis sidelined for at least another four to five weeks while recovering from a partially torn meniscus in his left knee, the calendar is starting to matter in Sacramento.

Marc Stein of The Stein Line notes that Sabonis may not be back before the February 5 trade deadline, which is now barely six-and-a-half weeks away. That creates an uncomfortable gray area for the Kings, who still haven’t clearly committed to a direction.

League sources continue to indicate that Sacramento would prefer to move DeMar DeRozan or Zach LaVine if it pivots toward reshaping the roster.

Sabonis, meanwhile, remains a far more complicated call. The front office hasn’t signaled that it’s open to discussing the former All-Star, but that stance could change quickly if the season continues to drift.

If the Kings were to lean into a full reset, Sabonis would instantly become one of the most intriguing names on the market. Productive, durable when healthy, and under contract, he would draw interest across the league.

For now, though, everything appears to be on hold — waiting on Sabonis’ knee, the standings, and whether Sacramento decides to push forward or pull the plug.