Kings finally building around De'Aaron Fox with Domantas Sabonis trade

The first major domino to fall on the week of the NBA’s trade deadline was Domantas Sabonis, who was swapped for Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield in a small-market blockbuster between the Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings.

Along with Sabonis, the Kings also bring in Jeremy Lamb and Justin Holiday. They also sent out Tristan Thompson in the deal. All per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Jeremy Lamb AND Justin Holiday. https://t.co/0GbRwKcRBP

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2022

The Kings’ perspective

Sacramento is rightfully being dragged through the mud by NBA fans for giving up on Tyrese Haliburton. A young and promising player they drafted just 15 months ago who can handle the ball, play multiple positions and is widely praised as mature and smart on and off the court, way above his 21 years of age.

He’s a terrific young piece. But he and De’Aaron Fox just aren’t meant to share a backcourt together. Both players operate best with the ball in their hands, running the pick-and-roll or blasting down the court in transition. Neither is especially productive in the half-court offense or as the lead shot-creator.

So why did Sacramento draft a player so similar to Fox in the first place? And then double down on bottle-necking their backcourt by picking another point guard this summer in Davion Mitchell? I don’t know.

But moving Haliburton for a better player that more closely aligns to Fox’s timeline is decisive — at last! Fox fans waited nearly half a decade for the franchise to commit to him with purpose and this trade proves just that. Sure, they shipped out a young asset and Buddy Hield to do so, but in return, Sacramento landed Fox his best teammate yet.

Domantas Sabonis isn’t a hopeful star like Haliburton is or Hield and Harrison Barnes were when they were brought on. The 25-year old Sabonis is a two-time All-Star with a three-year average of roughly 19 points, 12 rebounds and five assists a game. He’s the half-court spark the Kings offense is missing with De’Aaron Fox as its engine in transition.

The Fox and Sabonis fit

Fox and Sabonis are equally heavy pick-and-roll practicers. Fox is 10th in pick-and-roll possessions per game as the ball handler and Sabonis is seventh in possessions per game as the roll man. In the half-court, PnRs are their DNA.

Sacramento’s pick-and-roll sets weren’t efficient scoring options, considering Fox was working with Richaun Holmes and Tristan Thompson as partners. But Sabonis is one of the most productive bigs in the league off the roll. He ranks fourth in points scored per game off PnR sets and is scoring 1.33 points per possession. Any scoring option that nets 1.33 per attempt is elite NBA offense.

Set aside how crafty Sabonis is at finishing around the rim, he’s also a more-than-capable passer, evidenced by his high assist rate over the last three seasons. He’s the closest thing the Eastern Conference has to Nikola Jokić — a seven-footer who sets up shop at the elbow and can find cutters, handoff to jump-shooters or drivers off of ball screens, or hit open 3-point shooters if the defense collapses.

The marriage isn’t perfect. The Pacers were typically a plodding half-court team with Sabonis while the Kings like to run and gun with Fox leading the charge. There will be an adjustment period. With a transition nightmare like Fox, a steady playmaker and scorer of Sabonis’ caliber give the Kings the jolt they need in half-court sets.

Big Picture

The Kings haven’t made the playoffs since 2006. If they miss this year, it will be a record-setting 16th straight season. I’m not even a Kings fan but have rooted vicariously for Fox and previously DeMarcus Cousins. I’m sick of watching them waste away prime talent by trading for and signing B- level players like Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, Rajon Rondo (sorry, BBN), Zach Randolph, George Hill and so on. Or drafting and hoping another star will come along.

In the NBA there are a dozen teams that continuously move the goalposts for success with the idea that they’re building around a younger, brighter future. Enough! Let’s see teams like Sacramento build now around their star instead of stacking draft picks and crossing their fingers. Haliburton very possibly may never be better than Domantas Sabonis. Teams hoard draft picks in order to grab guys like Sabonis — a two-time NBA All-Star and top-35 player in the league right now.

Instead of waiting on the hopeful development of another young player or free agent, Sacramento went and got a known commodity; an elite big man to pair with Fox in an effort to make something out of their 24-year-old star point guard’s career. Good on them.

Sabonis has this year plus two more left on his deal. Table the extension talks. Sacramento realistically can nab a play-in spot this season. Maybe reassess the rest of the roster this offseason and make moves around this duo. They probably won’t compete for a title, but shoot, just making the playoffs is immense success for this franchise. This move puts them in the position to do so for the next three seasons.