The Sacramento Kings surprised everyone by making no significant roster moves during the offseason. Because the front office made that choice, the Kings are going to make some moves leading into the trade deadline, and that will likely include Domantas Sabonis.
Yes, Sabonis is probably occupying the first spot on Sacramento's do-not-trade list. And his value as a trade option is not as high as many would think it is because of his mediocre defensive presence. That doesn't change the major positives he brings to the court.
Dominant Domantas
Sabonis is the reigning rebound leader in the NBA and has been for the past three seasons. It's hard to quantify how important that is, both in terms of preventing second-chance opportunities for their opponents as well as creating them for his team.
Additionally, Domantas is an elite scorer and a double-double machine. He also produces a surprising number of assists each game for a big man. Essentially, Sabonis generates offense throughout the game from a number of angles. Just don't expect dominant defense from him.
The end of an era in Sacramento
Domantas Sabonis was at his absolute best on the Kings with De'Aaron Fox as his point guard. The two men played well together, creating a core duo that anchored the all-too-brief Beam Team era. When Fox left for the Spurs, it left a hole in the roster and split this pair up.
Dennis Schroder has been brought in as the new starting point guard, but he can't replace Fox. That's not meant as a criticism. It simply is what it is. Unless Sabonis and Schroder can find their own rhythm, it's hard to see how the Kings can find an overall rhythm without making some big moves.
Moving on is best for both the Kings and Sabonis
If the Kings are really pushing their new focus on defense, they need a starting center who is a dominant rim protector and locks the paint down. That's just not the game Sabonis plays. Combine that reality with the departure of Fox, and Sacramento might not be the right fit for him anymore.
The Kings need to start planning for their February trade deadline moves now. If they want this defense-first mentality to stick, the front office is going to have to make a hard choice about the five position. That could mean greener pastures for both sides, which is what everyone wants.