Coming out of the trade deadline, Raptors fans quickly realized that their front office was laser-focused on avoiding the luxury tax as a top priority. While they remained committed to that approach, there were still reports circulating that Toronto might throw their hat into the ring for star big men like Anthony Davis and especially Domantas Sabonis.
Those Sabonis talks fluctuated in the weeks and days leading up to the February 5 trade deadline. Just when it looked like Toronto was about to add a new face to their lineup, those negotiations unexpectedly came to a halt just as quickly. It became clear that the Raptors weren’t willing to trade away draft assets to reroute Jakob Poeltl to another team.
Now, here we are, and to the delight of Raptors fans everywhere, the team finally has their veteran center back in the lineup as they gear up for the second half of the 2025-26 campaign. Toronto did acquire a cost-effective backup big at the deadline in Trayce Jackson-Davis, but I think the growing sentiment within Raptors Nation was that Jakob Poeltl’s inevitable return was the post-deadline addition everyone was looking forward to. It wasn’t necessarily about finding a replacement elsewhere.
In contrast, a new injury update has surfaced regarding Domantas Sabonis. ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania revealed on X that the Kings star underwent season-ending surgery earlier today to repair the torn meniscus in his left knee. This injury was actually the reason why Sabonis was sidelined for such a long stretch starting back in December. Sabonis did return to on-court action in mid-January, however, it's now clear that he'll focus on healing and aim to come back at full strength next year.
Raptors avoided injury risk by passing on Domantas Sabonis trade
Now, in light of all the recent anti-tanking discussions circulating, it’s important to remember we’re talking about the Sacramento Kings here. This is a team that would undoubtedly love to secure a top spot in the lottery. Fellow Kings star Zach LaVine will also miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a tendon injury in his hand. I'm sure the Kings will figure out how to navigate DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook moving forward, with their sights solely focused on the draft.
Even considering the true severity of Sabonis' injury, I think that lingering fear still weighed on the trade talks as they heated up. The Raptors already had to worry about their current center being injury-prone and expensive. While I recognize that Sabonis is an on-paper upgrade over Poeltl, their situations felt more or less similar to me. I saw little upside in the Raptors taking such a massive swing here.
They could still revisit these talks in the summer when Sabonis is closer to returning, but I’d argue they should hold off on these lateral, low-ceiling moves that could have serious consequences. Instead, the Raptors need to decide whether to go all-in with this core or pivot in a different direction.
Raptors fans already have enough to worry about, and honestly, the thought of an injury-riddled Domantas Sabonis would’ve just added another heavy weight on their shoulders. So, credit to Toronto for knowing when to step back and not forcing that issue.