Over the past several weeks, the Sacramento Kings have made it clear that they want to trade center Domantas Sabonis. A few teams have interest, with the Raptors apparently being a likely destination. If they had any questions about whether he still has that old magic, he showed them against the Cavs.
With Scott Perry and Doug Christie now steering the ship in Sacramento, the Kings have a renewed focus on defense. While that's not specifically a bad thing, it does mean they want to move away from players who are viewed as being more or less offense-only, such as Zach LaVine and Malik Monk.
Another prime example of that type of player is Domantas Sabonis. The Kings' resident double-double machine is a top-notch rebounder, and scores like a madman when the offense revolves around him. Plus, he's a solid playmaker who is usually good for a handful of assists.
The problem is that he's as basic as it gets on defense, particularly for a big man. He's a tall guy who plugs up the lane, but he honestly doesn't do more than that. Domas isn't much of a rim protector, and he's not going to lock the paint down. So, the Kings want to move on.
Sabonis proves his value against the Cavaliers
That doesn't mean that he can't still go. Sacramento lost a close game to the Cavs last night by a score of 123 to 118. A big part of the reason why it didn't turn into a complete blowout was Sabonis, who finished the game with 24 points, 16 rebounds, six assists, and one steal.
If you want to know what a vintage Domantas Sabonis game looks like, that's it right there. He was a man on a mission against Cleveland, playing like a guy with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove. That's probably not too far from the truth, considering the situation he's in.
Domantas is quite aware that his team wants to move him. And he knows there are a few teams that are interested in him. This performance showed the Kings what they're giving up and let any interested team still on the fence know what they're getting.
With the trade deadline coming up soon, fans across the NBA will find out Sabonis's fate in the next couple of weeks. Wherever he ends up, that team will have a certified, verified double-double machine on their hands, assuming they integrate him into their offense correctly.