NBA rumors: Could Raptors revisit Domantas Sabonis trade after Kawhi Leonard deal goes through

The idea of Domantas Sabonis playing in Toronto could be appealing for the Raptors. However, adding Kawhi Leonard in the near future may have lessened the likelihood of the former scenario coming to fruition.

Sabonis has been with the Kings since 2022, shining as one of the best big men in the league. However, the team’s recent struggles following their playoff run in 2023 has resulted in rumors about Sabonis’ future.

The Raptors stand out as a potential candidate, especially as they await Leonard’s arrival. They acquired the star from the Los Angeles Clippers for Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick, waiting on the trade to be fully complete after the NBA made an official ruling on its investigation towards Leonard and the Clippers this week.

NBA insider Brett Siegel appeared on the latest Clutch Scoops show with Tomer Azarly. They discussed multiple topics throughout the episode, including the chances of Toronto pursuing Sabonis after the Leonard deal goes through.

“We had reporting on that about how a deal was progressing, but not necessarily close because they needed to get a third team involved for Jakob Poeltl’s contract. Ultimately, things fell apart there. The Raptors now have Kawhi Leonard, or they’re about to have Kawhi Leonard once that trade goes official, most likely within the next 72 hours. Maybe it takes four days,” Siegel said at the 50:30 mark.

“I don’t really see them being in the mix for Domantas Sabonis anymore. They could still strike a deal because they have the contracts to do so with RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl still. But we’ll wait and see what happens there.”

Kawhi/Clippers Punishments, Free Agency/Trade | Clutch Scoops with @TomerAzarly and @BrettSiegelNBA https://t.co/Y5xuMfAVqI

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 3, 2026

What’s next for Raptors amid Domantas Sabonis rumors

The Raptors are looking forward to a new era. Whether or not they go after Domantas Sabonis, they have a star core to build towards the upcoming 2026-27 campaign.

Toronto finished with a 46-36 record last season, securing the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference standings. They fought hard against the Cleveland Cavaliers before ultimately falling in seven games during the first round of the playoffs.

The Raptors haven’t reached the mountaintop since winning their first-ever title in 2019. Besides playoff appearances in 2020, 2022 and 2026, they have yet to get back to the East Finals. With Scottie Barnes continuing to improve, they hope to pull off one deep run in the peak years of his star career.

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