US reporter: The Hornets are interested in signing Sabonis and have already made contact with the Kings.

According to a report by TA reporter Sam Amick on Wednesday, the Charlotte Hornets are evaluating the possibility of acquiring Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis.

The news was first revealed by NBA insider Michael Scotto. He stated explicitly that the Hornets had previously made exploratory contacts with the Kings, and Miles Bridges and Josh Green were also included in trade discussions.

Amick further pointed out that there is currently a significant disagreement between the two sides regarding the first-round pick. The Kings hope to acquire one of the Hornets' two first-round picks this year through the trade, but the Hornets have consistently shown no interest in giving it up. It is unlikely that a trade will be reached before the June 23rd draft, but the Hornets have maintained a strong interest in Sabonis.

Domantas Sabonis, 30, is a 2.08-meter tall, 109-kilogram forward who entered the NBA in 2016 as the 11th overall pick in the first round. He previously played for the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers before being traded to the Sacramento Kings in February 2022.

To date, Sabonis has played 265 regular season games for the Kings, averaging 19.0 points, 13.1 rebounds and 6.9 assists in 34.6 minutes per game. He also helped the Kings end a 17-year playoff drought in the 2022/23 season alongside De'Aaron Fox, and has won individual honors including one All-Star selection and three rebounding titles.

In February, Sabonis suffered a season-ending tear in his left knee meniscus. Despite this, he remains one of the Sacramento Kings' most valuable trade assets. NBA insider Jack Fisher also revealed last week that the league widely expects the Kings to trade Sabonis this summer.

Image source: Internet