A Deal That Almost Happened
Toronto Raptors fans spent the 2025-26 trade deadline hoping for a splash, and it turns out the front office nearly delivered one. According to ESPN NBA Insider Anthony Slater, the Raptors were deep in negotiations to acquire Sacramento Kings centre Domantas Sabonis — a 6-foot-10, three-time All-Star widely regarded as one of the best rebounders in the league.
What Toronto Offered
Slater reported that the Raptors put together a package built around Canadian guard RJ Barrett and Austrian big man Jakob Poeltl in exchange for Sabonis. The Kings were reportedly receptive to the framework, but the deal ultimately collapsed over money — Sacramento didn't want to absorb the roughly $84 million remaining on Poeltl's contract.
Adding intrigue to the story, Sabonis himself was informed about the potential move and reportedly welcomed the idea of joining Toronto before talks broke down.
Why Sabonis Would Have Been a Fit
Rebounding was arguably Toronto's biggest weakness this season, and Sabonis is about as good an answer to that problem as exists in the NBA. He's averaged more than 10 rebounds per game in each of the past seven seasons and has led the league in total rebounds three separate times. Pairing that kind of interior presence with Toronto's perimeter pieces could have reshaped the roster's identity heading into the stretch run.
Instead, the Raptors held onto Poeltl and Barrett, and the front office's rebuilding timeline stays largely intact — for better or worse, depending on who you ask among the fan base.
A Canadian Storyline Within the Story
What makes this report land a little differently north of the border is Barrett's involvement. The Mississauga-born guard, one of the most prominent Canadian players in the league, would have been the centrepiece heading to Sacramento. For a Raptors franchise that has leaned into its Canadian identity — from marketing to roster-building — moving a homegrown star like Barrett is never a small decision, even if the return was a rebounding upgrade the team badly needed.
The Raptors remain the only NBA franchise based in Canada, and every trade rumour involving the club tends to ripple well beyond Toronto, into basketball conversations across the country. Deals like this one, even the ones that don't happen, offer a glimpse into how the front office is thinking about the roster's direction — and how much value they're willing to attach to a Canadian player in pursuit of a title-calibre big man.
What's Next
With the trade deadline now behind them, the Raptors will head into the rest of the season with the roster largely as-is. Whether general manager Bobby Webster revisits a similar deal — with Sacramento or another team — in the offseason remains to be seen. For now, Sabonis stays a King, and Barrett stays a Raptor.
Source: blogTO
