The Sacramento Kings have consistently looked to move on from Domantas Sabonis this offseason, with the franchise looking to head in a new direction. Of late, a potential sign-and-trade with the Detroit Pistons for Jalen Duren has been widely seen as one of the most plausible solutions.

However, the two teams appear to be at a crossroads regarding the valuation of the 30-year-old. Per Jake Fischer, many around the league simply do not believe that Sabonis has ‘positive trade value,’ which has led to limited possibilities, per BasketNews.

“The Kings have been maintaining that they view that Domantas Sabonis has positive trade value, that they would need a draft pick to come back in a deal, which I just don't think is plausible right now,” he said.

Rival executives around the league reportedly hold a different view, with some believing Sacramento would need to attach draft compensation for another team to take on Sabonis' remaining contract and the potential cost of extending him. The concern is that acquiring Sabonis could require a future extension worth roughly $45 million to $48 million annually, in addition to the assets required to complete the trade. That combination has reportedly reduced the number of teams willing to surrender draft capital for him.

Article Continues Below

Still, according to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, the two most obvious landing spots remain the Milwaukee Bucks and the Pistons.

“The two most likely spots, I guess you could say for Jalen Duren, are the Kings and the Bucks, simply because of these matching scenarios, where you have Domantas Sabonis as a player that the Kings have already offered in a sign and trade for Jalen Duren this offseason,” he said.

Sabonis is reportedly healthy and ready for training camp after undergoing season-ending knee surgery in February 2026. Further, the Duren situation is directly connected to the Sabonis rumors. Detroit has reportedly offered Duren a $200 million contract, which he has not accepted.

If the Pistons ultimately pursue a sign-and-trade, the Kings and Milwaukee Bucks have emerged as two potential destinations, with Sabonis representing the matching salary and player component in a possible Detroit-Sacramento deal.