Western Notes: Sabonis, Kuminga, Gobert, Pelicans
Domantas Sabonis made a solid return to action on Friday, as the Kings big man posted 13 points, six rebounds and five assists while coming off the bench in a win over Washington. Sabonis missed 27 games due to a partially torn meniscus in his left knee.
“His energy was good,” Kings coach Doug Christie said, per Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. “He ran the floor well. He looked really good. I thought he got a little gassed in my opinion at one point, but fantastic.”
Sabonis was relieved to get back in action.
“I’m just happy I was able to play,” Sabonis said. “You really miss it when you’re gone for so long.”
We have more from the Western Conference:
- Warriors coach Steve Kerr admits the Jonathan Kuminga trade demand is a difficult situation for all parties involved, Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. “There’s not a whole lot I can say about the other stuff,” Kerr said. “It is what it is. Difficult situation for everybody. Part of this league, part of this job. We just keep moving forward. But it’s a tough situation and I don’t really have much to add.” Kuminga was in attendance for a rare home shootaround at Chase Center before the Warriors played the Knicks. Once reporters were allowed in, Kuminga sprinted off the court without comment.
- Rudy Gobert had a nightmarish outing on Friday and he took the blame for the Timberwolves‘ loss to the Rockets. The veteran center made just two of 10 free throws, committed two crucial turnovers and made some uncharacteristic defensive mistakes in the late going, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic notes. “Just a lot of plays, man. Mistakes. Free throws. A lot of things that I can control,” Gobert said. “I definitely cost us the game. I take responsibility for that. I’ve got to be better.”
- The Pelicans lost the battle of conference cellar-dwellers on Friday, falling to Indiana. The Pacers racked up 127 points, their third-highest total this season. “The biggest thing is they had 20 more shots on goal,” Pelicans interim coach James Borrego said, per Rod Walker of NOLA.com. “We did enough offensively, even though I don’t think the second half was great offensively. But we just didn’t get enough stops.”
Domantas Sabonis Expected To Return Friday For Kings
January 16: Sabonis is expected to play on Friday, confirms Anthony Slater of ESPN.
January 15: Three-time All-Star center Domantas Sabonis was a full participant during Thursday’s practice and the Kings are optimistic he could return as soon as Friday’s game against Washington, reports Sean Cunningham of KCRA News (Twitter video link).
Sabonis will be listed as questionable for tomorrow’s contest vs. the Wizards, a league source tells James Ham of TheKingsBeat.com (Twitter link).
Sabonis, 29, has been out of action since November 16 due to a partially torn meniscus in his left knee. He has missed Sacramento’s last 27 games with the injury.
The Lithuanian big man has led the league in rebounds per game each of the past three seasons. In 11 games in 2025/26, Sabonis has averaged 17.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 33.2 minutes per contest.
The 11-30 Kings struggled mightily this season, but they’ve played better of late and are currently on their first three-game winning streak of the season. They’ve beaten three projected playoff teams — the Rockets, Lakers and Knicks — during the ongoing homestand, which wraps up next Wednesday against Toronto.
Sabonis’ name has popped up in several trade rumors this season with Sacramento near the bottom of the NBA’s standings — the Raptors have been the team most frequently linked to him. He’s on a lucrative long-term contract that runs through ’27/28.
And-Ones: Caboclo, All-Star Teams, Rising Stars, More
Former NBA forward Bruno Caboclo has signed a rest-of-season contract with Dubai Basketball, the EuroLeague team announced in a press release.
The 20th overall pick in the 2014 draft, Caboclo spent seven years in the NBA, last suiting up for Houston in 2020/21. The 30-year-old spent last season in Israel with Hapoel Tel Aviv, won the FIBA AmeriCup tournament with his native Brazil over the summer, and was sidelined to open ’25/26 due to a back injury.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- ESPN’s Tim Bontemps has made his picks for the 2026 All-Star teams, identifying nine locks from the Eastern Conference and 10 locks in the West, with five “bubble” candidates in each conference. Bontemps makes Pacers forward Pascal Siakam his final pick in the East over Desmond Bane and Michael Porter Jr., with Suns guard Devin Booker claiming his last spot in the West over Los Angeles stars Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves.
- Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and Austin Rivers have been named honorary head coaches for the NBA’s 2026 Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend, the league announced (Twitter link). NBA rookies and sophomores will comprise three of the teams, with the fourth squad made up of G League standouts.
- Bobby Marks and Kevin Pelton of ESPN identify one trade candidate to watch on each NBA roster, ranging from big names like Ja Morant and Domantas Sabonis to under-the-radar trade candidates like Celtics big man Chris Boucher and Clippers forward Kobe Brown.
- In another story for ESPN, Marks takes a look at several of the most valuable traded draft picks for 2026, as well as outlining how certain teams could benefit from various convoluted swaps. Our breakdown of 2026’s traded first-round picks can be found right here.
Rory Maher contributed to this story.
Siegel’s Latest: Pistons, Suns, Raptors, Pelicans, Thunder
Although there has been some speculation that the Pistons could try to make a major win-now move to fortify their roster ahead of the playoffs, multiple sources tell Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints that Detroit is unlikely to deal away any of its core players, a group that includes Tobias Harris, Jaden Ivey and Isaiah Stewart.
It’s a little strange to see Harris, who is currently out with a hip strain, described as part of the Pistons’ “core,” considering he’s the oldest player (33) on the roster and on an expiring $26.6MM contract. But evidently the team values his contributions and veteran leadership.
According to Siegel, if Detroit’s front office — led by president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon — changes that stance, Trey Murphy III would be a player to watch. Langdon used to be New Orleans’ GM and was part of the group that drafted Murphy.
Here are a few more items of interest from Siegel’s latest rumor round-up:
- The Suns have been scouring the market for a “cheap forward upgrade,” according to Siegel, who says Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and Nick Richards have all been made available in trade talks.
- Reiterating a point recently made by Marc Stein, Siegel cites sources who say the Raptors are viewed as a buyer heading into the deadline, with Domantas Sabonis, Ja Morant and Murphy among the players they’ve considered pursuing. Toronto appears willing to part with its 2026 first-round pick in search of win-now upgrades, according to Siegel, who writes that Ochai Agbaji is likely to be on the move before the deadline, and if a bigger trade is made, Immanuel Quickley may be involved.
- A recent report said the Pelicans have been rebuffing trade inquiries on forwards Murphy and Herbert Jones, among others. Rival teams think that’s due to a combination of a high asking price and being underwhelmed by opposing offers. According to Siegel, New Orleans is looking for two first-round picks for Jones and three for Murphy, plus young players. Siegel hears the Pelicans are also trying to get back into the 2026 draft after sending out their own selection last year for Derik Queen; they’ve been talking to projected playoff teams (in the 20-30 range) about that possibility.
- While the Thunder are considered unlikely to make any type of significant change to their roster prior to the deadline, it’s possible they could look to either consolidate some of their 2026 first-round picks for a more valuable selection or trade them for future draft assets, per Siegel. That may happen closer to the draft, Siegel notes. Dan Woike of The Athletic, citing sources, also hears rival teams think the Thunder will try to turn some of this year’s first-rounders — they could have as many as four — into future assets.
Timberwolves, Kings Not Expected To Pursue Ja Morant
Although both clubs were linked to Ja Morant in the wake of the news that the Grizzlies are entertaining trade offers for the two-time All-Star, neither the Timberwolves nor the Kings are expected to pursue the 26-year-old point guard, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
Fischer reported a few days ago that Minnesota is looking for point guard upgrades but the team is focused on finding players with manageable cap hits. Morant doesn’t fit that bill, as he’s on a maximum-salary contract that runs through 2027/28.
As for Sacramento, Morant doesn’t seem to fit the description of the types of players general manager Scott Perry has publicly said he’s looking to add to the roster over the past several months, Fischer writes. On the court, the Kings are seeking players with positional size, defensive versatility, and physicality, and off the court, Perry has preached “discipline, accountability and professionalism,” Fischer notes.
The Kings also aren’t interested in taking back long-term money in potential in-season trades, Fischer reports. That has limited any momentum in talks with the Raptors involving Domantas Sabonis, sources tell Fischer, as the Kings don’t want to take on the long-term salaries of either Immanuel Quickley or Jakob Poeltl.
Kings Rumors: Kuminga, Ranadive, Christie, Draft
The Kings are among the teams with interest in Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga as the trade deadline nears, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater. When Kuminga was a restricted free agent over the summer, Sacramento general manager Scott Perry visited him in Miami, and there’s still mutual interest in a partnership, sources tell Slater.
Slater hears from league sources that Golden State’s front office is exploring its options heading into the deadline and has sent out signals in recent days that it’s willing to hold onto Kuminga if an acceptable trade offer doesn’t happen. But Slater states that Kuminga will be available and that Perry contacted Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. last week.
Perry was willing to part with a protected 2030 first-round pick during the offseason to acquire Kuminga, but Slater reports that he has “expressed reservations” about making that same offer now. Slater also says the Warriors won’t take back any long-term deals they perceive as having negative value and have no interest in Malik Monk, who’s owed $20.2MM next season and holds a $21.6MM player option for 2027/28.
Slater notes that a multi-team deal could make it easier for everyone to get what they want, pointing out that Keon Ellis‘ $2.3MM expiring contract is attracting interest around the league. In a separate story, Slater states that Ellis, who will become extension-eligible on February 9, still has many admirers among rival front offices and scouts.
There’s more from Sacramento:
- Kings owner Vivek Ranadive remains extremely involved in personnel decisions, Slater adds. He pushed former general manager Monte McNair and former assistant GM Wes Wilcox to increase their offer to Chicago for DeMar DeRozan in the 2024 offseason so Ranadive could walk DeRozan to their courtside seats during halftime of a Summer League game. That resulted in giving up a 2032 unprotected first-round pick to San Antonio that could be extremely valuable unless the Kings turn around their fortunes over the next six years. Ranadive gave DeRozan a three-year, $74MM contract that limits his value on the trade market. McNair also had apprehensions about last season’s decision to part with De’Aaron Fox in a three-team deal to acquire Zach LaVine, a player that Ranadive badly wanted.
- Lack of player-to-player accountability is seen as an issue in Sacramento, according to Slater. Veteran guard Dennis Schröder, who’s in his first season with the team, said it happens “here and there,” but not consistently. Domantas Sabonis expressed a similar sentiment, according to Slater, and pushed management to sign Russell Westbrook, his former teammate in Oklahoma City.
- Doug Christie only has one more guaranteed season left on his three-year contract, but team sources tell Slater that his job isn’t in jeopardy. Perry remains supportive of his head coach, saying, “He’s got an organization that’s behind him and believes that he will be there to help push us through and turn the corner.”
- Although the Kings have a lot of veterans to offer on the trade market, their high salaries may make them difficult to move, Slater adds. He suggests this summer’s draft pick is probably their most valuable asset, with Perry looking for positional size and defensive versatility and Christie wanting players who fit an up-tempo, physical style.
Siegel’s Latest: Sabonis, Raptors, Bucks, Warriors, Nets, White, Lakers
After buying low on Brandon Ingram at last season’s trade deadline, could the Raptors seek out a similar move this February? According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Kings center Domantas Sabonis is one name that has been continually linked to Toronto. The Raptors’ interest in Sabonis was first reported in December by Jake Fischer and has since been corroborated by several other outlets.
Malik Monk is another player who has intrigued Toronto in the past, Siegel writes, noting that Kings general manager Scott Perry drafted current Raptors veterans RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley when he was in New York’s front office. While there’s no indication that the two teams have seriously discussed such a deal involving those four players, Siegel suggests that sort of framework could be worth keeping an eye on.
If Toronto does end up moving Barrett in that sort of bigger move, he’d likely draw interest from several teams besides Sacramento, Siegel writes, given the lack of high-level wing talent on the trade market. The Bucks, for example, expressed interest in Barrett last season, per Siegel.
Here’s more from Siegel’s latest NBA rumor round-up:
- The Warriors have internally discussed many possible center trade targets, including Myles Turner and Bobby Portis of the Bucks, per Siegel. A number of teams around the NBA are curious about Milwaukee’s plans for Portis, Siegel continues, with the Hornets and Suns also considered possible suitors, perhaps in multi-team scenarios.
- Suns guard Jalen Green is among the players the Bucks have inquired on, but Phoenix isn’t interested in moving him at this point, says Siegel. Given that Green has only played two games this season due to hamstring issues, the Suns view him as a sort of trade-deadline addition themselves, Siegel explains.
- Although the Nets are fielding inquiries on players like Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton, they aren’t actively looking to move them. In order for Brooklyn to consider a deal involving either player, the starting point for a package would have to be a “true” unprotected first-round pick, Siegel writes.
- The Mavericks and the Clippers are among the teams with interest in Bulls guard Coby White, sources tell Siegel, who reiterates that the Timberwolves also remain interested and notes that some league insiders have speculated that the Hawks could be a destination for White in the event of a Trae Young trade.
- With higher-level options like Herbert Jones potentially out of reach, players like Bulls forward Isaac Okoro, Kings guard Keon Ellis, and Nets wing Haywood Highsmith are considered more realistic possibilities for a Lakers team seeking defensive help, according to Siegel. Mavericks forward Naji Marshall is another possible trade candidate to add to that group if Dallas commits to becoming a seller.
Stein’s Latest: Atkinson, Harden, Sabonis, White
There have been “rumbles in coaching circles” that Kenny Atkinson’s job is becoming less safe amid the Cavaliers‘ recent stumbles and their disappointing 15-14 record, Marc Stein of The Stein Line states in his latest Substack column (subscription required). Atkinson led the Cavs to the best record in the East a year ago in his first season with the team, but a second-round playoff ouster and this season’s shaky start have built up frustrations in Cleveland.
A report that owner Dan Gilbert is “very unhappy” with the team’s recent play provides another reason to be concerned about Atkinson’s job security. The Cavaliers headed into the season expecting to challenge New York for the top spot in the East, but they’re currently in play-in territory after dropping eight of their last 11 games, with several losses coming against teams near the bottom of the standings.
However, a source tells Stein that Gilbert’s anger is unlikely to result in a quick coaching change. He points out that Gilbert was one of Atkinson’s strongest supporters during the hiring process, preferring him over James Borrego, who’s now the interim head coach in New Orleans.
Stein shares more inside information from around the league:
- After speculating in a recent column that the struggling Clippers might listen to offers for James Harden before the deadline, Stein heard from a rival front office member who’s expecting Harden to be made available in trade talks. Stein points out that as a one-year Bird Rights signee who remained with his team, Harden has the ability to veto any trade he doesn’t like. Harden’s new contract technically covers two seasons, but it contains a player option with a partial guarantee.
- With Domantas Sabonis projected to miss at least four-to-five more weeks while recovering from a partially torn meniscus in his left knee, Stein points out that there’s a chance he might not return to the court by the February 5 trade deadline, which is roughly six-and-a-half weeks away. Stein states that it’s unclear if the Kings are willing to listen to trade offers for the former All-Star center, as they prefer to part with DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. However, there’s sure to be league-wide interest in Sabonis if the front office commits to a full rebuilding project.
- Stein hears that rival teams are getting the impression that the Bulls are more willing to consider trading Coby White than they’ve been in the past. White has an expiring $12.9MM contract this season and is headed for unrestricted free agency next summer. Stein notes that White’s modest salary complicates Chicago’s effort to get back equivalent value in a deal, since he’s unlikely to sign an extension before reaching unrestricted free agency next summer.
Kings’ Domantas Sabonis Out At Least 4-5 More Weeks
Kings center Domantas Sabonis, who has missed a little over a month with a partially torn meniscus in his left knee, continues to make progress in his recovery. However, he will be out at least four-to-five more weeks, which is the next time he’ll be reevaluated, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link via Brenden Nunes of Sactown Sports 1140).
Sabonis experienced knee soreness after a November 16 game at San Antonio and subsequently underwent an MRI, which revealed the meniscus tear. The Kings confirmed a few days later that Sabonis would be checked out again in three-to-four weeks; it has been just over four weeks since that initial announcement.
While Sabonis was unlikely to be selected to his third All-NBA team in 2025/26 anyway with the Kings holding one of the worst records in the NBA (they’re currently 6-21), today’s update will officially make him ineligible, as he has already missed 16 games and will not be able to meet the 65-game requirement for major postseason awards.
The Lithuanian big man, 29, has led the league in rebounds per game each of the past three seasons, earning one of his three All-Star nods and both of his All-NBA berths during that span. In 11 games this season, Sabonis averaged 17.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 33.2 minutes per contest.
Sabonis’ name has popped up in several trade rumors in ’25/26. But an in-season move appears increasingly unlikely, given that, even in a best-case scenario, he wouldn’t be back until January 16, about three weeks before the February 5 deadline, notes Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (via Twitter).
With both Sabonis and backup center Drew Eubanks (thumb fracture) out, the Kings have been leaning heavily on rookie second-round pick Maxime Raynaud to man the middle. The French big man has filled in admirably of late, recording career highs of 29 points and 11 rebounds in Thursday’s overtime loss to Portland.
Raptors Rumors: Davis, Sabonis, Barrett, Ball, Richards, More
Discussing the potential Anthony Davis trade market during an appearance on the DLLS Mavs podcast (Twitter video link via Omer Osman), NBA insider Marc Stein suggested that of the three Eastern Conference teams linked to the Mavericks big man, the Raptors seem to have expressed the most real interest.
“Toronto has definitely registered interest,” Stein said. “That is for certain. The Hawks, I think, it is more exploratory. … And I think (the Pistons‘) interest has been vastly overstated.”
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype also used the word “exploratory” to describe Atlanta’s potential interest in Davis and suggested that Detroit doesn’t seem especially inclined to make a big in-season splash on the trade market.
However, that doesn’t mean the Raptors are on track to make a deal for the 10-time All-Star. Toronto has other possible targets on its radar, and the Mavericks aren’t committed to making a move involving Davis. As Scotto writes, Dallas is in the process of evaluating AD’s fit with Cooper Flagg, his health, and his impact on winning with the current Mavs roster.
Confirming a Jake Fischer report, Scotto says Domantas Sabonis is another player whom the Raptors have been intrigued by, adding that Toronto expressed exploratory interest in the Kings center over the summer.
While it doesn’t seem like the two teams are engaged in discussions regarding Sabonis at this time, Scotto points out that Sacramento general manager Scott Perry drafted RJ Barrett during his time in the Knicks’ front office and is still “fond” of him. In other words, if the Raptors do circle back to Sabonis at some point, Barrett would be a player to watch in those talks. Toronto has gauged the market on Barrett’s value, sources tell HoopsHype.
Here’s more on the Raptors:
- Toronto checked in on the availability of Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball during the offseason, according to Scotto. There’s no indication those conversations went anywhere or that Charlotte is currently looking to move Ball, but Immanuel Quickley would be a logical outgoing piece in any Raptors deal for a higher-paid point guard.
- The Raptors and Suns have engaged in exploratory discussions about the possibility of a deal that would send wing Ochai Agbaji and second-round draft compensation to Phoenix in exchange for center Nick Richards, Scotto reports. That sort of deal would allow Toronto to fortify its frontcourt while sneaking below the tax line and would allow the Suns to replenish their depleted draft assets a little. However, it would also push Phoenix further into tax territory and it’s unclear if Agbaji would appeal much to the Suns, who are more focused on a power forward upgrade, per Scotto.
- Scotto spoke to Raptors forward Brandon Ingram about his transition to Toronto, playing with star forward Scottie Barnes, and a handful of other topics, including why he felt comfortable signing a three-year, $120MM extension with his new team before he had played a single game as a Raptor. “I told myself whoever wanted me, that I was going to be content in being there,” Ingram said. “Around the (2025) trade deadline, I heard two or three teams (had interest), and I picked the best choice where I knew I was going to get a fresh start.”