NBA Rumors: Domantas Sabonis Linked To Golden State Warriors In Huge Off-season Move
On Sunday, the second-seeded Golden State Warriors outclassed the seventh-seeded Houston Rockets, securing a 95-85 Game 1 road victory.
Fortunately for Houston, the NBA playoffs aren’t single elimination, giving them time to regroup and bounce back.
With free agency approaching and the Warriors holding less than a 40% chance of winning a title as currently constructed, it’s not too early to explore potential trades.
Sabonis to the Warriors? A Blockbuster Trade Proposal
Daniel Alameda of the Wrightway Sports Network predicts Golden State could trade a struggling Splash Brother for Sacramento Kings star forward Domantas Sabonis this offseason.
"The Golden State Warriors are in the final stretch of their title window with Steph Curry," Alameda wrote last Sunday. "The front office has expressed a ‘sense of urgency’ to compete for one more championship with him, which is why Domantas Sabonis should be a top trade target."
“There’s a strong chance that they’ll be competing deep in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, but with their new addition of Jimmy Butler, this is a 2-3 year window that can be a major development if they add another star like Sabonis.”
Adding Jimmy Butler already extends their contention window to 2-3 years, but pairing him with another star like Sabonis could be transformative.
Golden State is currently relying on Draymond Green at center and Butler at power forward, but Sabonis—a playmaking big in the same mold as Green—would elevate them significantly. Together, they’d form one of the league’s best passing frontcourts.
Alameda’s proposed deal would send Buddy Hield, Moses Moody, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and a 2026 first-round pick to Sacramento in exchange for Sabonis.
Kings Considering a Shake-Up
The Kings’ 2024-25 season fell short of expectations. Despite acquiring DeMar DeRozan, the team struggled, firing Mike Brown in December and trading De'Aaron Fox for Zach LaVine in February before missing the playoffs entirely.
Yet Sabonis remained a bright spot. The 6'10" forward excelled as a playmaker, scorer, and rebounder, dominating with his post play, aggressive drives, defensive boards, and improved three-point shooting (41.7% from deep). He averaged 19.1 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 6.0 assists while shooting 59.0% from the field.
How Sabonis Would Elevate Golden State’s Title Hopes
Meanwhile, Hield’s shooting has declined since his hot streak with Golden State earlier in the season, making Curry’s former Splash Brother, Klay Thompson, a distant memory. Swapping Hield for Sabonis could reshape the Warriors into a far more dangerous team in 2025-26 and beyond.
Image - Cary Edmondson-Imagn
