The Chicago Bulls have resisted the temptation to rebuild, even as they parted out veterans Alex Caruso, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine in separate trades. For their next move, could the Bulls go after Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis?
Sabonis and the Kings are 36-38 and sit ninth in the Western Conference standings entering play on March 29 after going 3-7 over their previous 10 outings.
This Heavy Sports trade proposal aims to land Sabonis should the Kings’ season stall.
Bulls get:
- Domantas Sabonis
Kings get:
- Patrick Williams
- Zach Collins
- 2025 first-round pick
- 2030 first-round pick (lottery protected)
This pitch assumes the Kings do not want to reunite Nikola Vučević with DeRozan and LaVine.
The Bulls acquired Collins, 27, in a three-team trade with the Kings and San Antonio Spurs before the 2025 deadline. He has averaged 9.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 20 appearances – eight starts – with the Bulls.
Collins is in Year 1 of a two-year, $34.8 million contract, so he will be an expiring deal in 2026 and is mostly in this proposal to match salaries.
Williams, 24, could be the trickier sell for the organization.
The No. 4 overall pick of the 2020 draft, Williams was Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations, Artūras Karnišovas’ first selection. However, the Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley reported in January that the Bulls were open to moving Williams.
Williams averaged 8.7/3.9/2.0 through 54 appearances. He is in the first year of a five-year, $90 million pact.
Domantas Sabonis Has Multiple Ties to Bulls
Sabonis, 28, was the No. 11 overall pick by the Orlando Magic in 2016. He has also played for the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers.
He is a three-time All-Star, two time All-NBA pick, and two-time rebounding champion.
Sabonis spent his rookie season with OKC, where he played under current Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and started 66 of his 81 appearances. That tie is one that could ignite the Bulls’ interest in a trade for Sabonis, whose availability has come into question amid the Kings’ slide.
Sabonis also has ties to Karnišovas, who was teammates with his father, Arvydas, on the Lithuanian national team.
Those ties might need to overcome recent history if the Bulls are to explore trade options for Sabonis this offseason.
Bulls Could Be Gunshy About Big Man Trade
The Bulls have made several deals since, but their trade for Vučević – and the decision to re-sign him in 2024 – looms large over any potential deal for Sabonis. The Buls would likely have to move Vučević and his expiring three-year, $60 million deal.
Sabonis can play the 4, but he and Vučević would be a poor defensive combination.
That is another layer to the issue, with the Bulls lambasted and struggling after acquiring Vučević at the 2021 deadline.
Bulls are using an interesting defense against the Lakers. This is by far the deepest drop that I have ever seen Nikola Vucevic play in his 4.5 seasons with the Bulls.
Vooch is more generally ignoring Jaxson Hayes and aggressively helping in the paint.
Sabonis would be the same age as Vučević was when the Bulls acquired the latter if the Bulls made such a move. It may be unlikely, but Karnišovas has made it clear the Bulls will not tank under his watch.
Sabonis has also already been paid, wrapping Year 1 of a four-year, $186 million contract.
If the Bulls can get past their previous experience trading for a veteran All-Star big man in Vučević, Sabonis fits the mold of players Karnišovas has targeted since he has been in charge.
