The Toronto Raptors have been a surprise team in the NBA this season as they currently sit third in the Eastern Conference standings with a 29-19 record.
Of course, the Raptors missed the playoffs last season after finishing 11th in the East standings but they have been able to make a turnaround this season behind their core led by Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.
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Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4)Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
(Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)
With their success this season, Toronto has a chance to compete for the top seed in the East and potentially make a deep run in the playoffs and because of this, they may elect to make some upgrades to their roster ahead of the February 5 trade deadline.
Raptors Could Target Kings’ Domantas Sabonis to Upgrade Center Position
For the Raptors, they do have some glaring holes in their roster, including the center position with Jakob Poeltl sidelined due to a back injury, which has caused them to be linked to multiple big men around the league, including Anthony Davis and Nic Claxton.
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Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11)Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
(Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images)
Another big man Toronto has been linked to in trade rumors is Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis and there have been reports that the two sides have talked about a potential trade.
Mock Trade Sends RJ Barrett to Kings, Domantas Sabonis, Keon Ellis to Raptors
In a potential trade, the Raptors could send a package of Barrett, Poeltl, Ochai Agbaji, Gradey Dick and draft capital to the Kings in exchange for Sabonis, Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder.
Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett (9)© Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
(© Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images)
While moving on from Barrett could be a tough decision to make for the Raptors, swapping him for Sabonis, along with two other key players in Ellis and Schroder, could benefit Toronto down the road.
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For Sabonis, he would provide the Raptors with a major upgrade at the center position as he would give them a reliable scorer, rebounder and playmaker down low.
Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (11)© Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
(© Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images)
This season, the 29-year-old center is averaging 15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 54.1% from the field and 20.8% from three over 16 games.
Of course, Sabonis has missed a lot of time this season due to injuries which has hurt his numbers, though he has proven in the past to be one of the top big men in the NBA, which is something Toronto has lacked.
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Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23)John Hefti-Imagn Images
(John Hefti-Imagn Images)
The Raptors would also add a key young player in Ellis who is a reliable scorer and elite defender while Schroder would provide them with a solid backup point guard behind Quickley.
By making this trade, Toronto would be able to fill multiple holes in their roster to try and compete for a top seed in the East this season and make a run at a championship.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.