The Sacramento Kings need to move Domantas Sabonis, and the Los Angeles Lakers could be in the market. While he would bring scoring and rebounding, Sabonis will not fill the defensive hole left by the departure of Anthony Davis. For the Kings, that doesn't matter as long as they take Sabonis.
In Sacramento, the conversation around Sabonis can be a little difficult to navigate. There's no doubt that he's a great offensive player and one of the league's best rebounders. On top of that, Sabonis can be a solid hub as someone who can pass the ball and collect more than a few assists.
Then there's the other side of the coin. Sabonis has the defensive presence of James Harden in any game seven of a playoff series. The Kings would be better off buying a full-sized cardboard cutout of Sabonis and putting that in the paint on defense. It would accidentally accomplish more.
The Kings don't want to move Sabonis because he's a bad player. They want to move him because they need a stronger defensive presence in the paint, and they now have better options in Precious Achiuwa, Maxime Raynaud, and Dylan Cardwell. Sabonis is part of the Kings' past, now.
Sabonis could live that LakeShow life
There are a few teams who could potentially be interested in Sabonis, including the Toronto Raptors. They were connected to him at the trade deadline, but nothing materialized. Toronto's first-round playoff exit showed where they need help, and offense at the five is a big one.
Another team rumored to be in the mix is the Lakers. Los Angeles' current starting center is Deandre Ayton, and that isn't a good thing. He's sporadically useful at absolute best. Jaxson Hayes is their backup center, but he's not ready to take on the starting role in a permanent capacity.
Sabonis could be that guy for the Lakers, at least from the perspectives of scoring, rebounding, and facilitation. The problem is that he will not help them on defense at all. When Davis is healthy, he's one of the best defenders in the league. There's no chance of Sabonis helping the Lakers fill that void.
For the Kings, the Lakers have several players Sacramento could trade for, as well as some limited draft capital to work with. Really, it almost doesn't matter what the Kings get in return. The goal for them is to trade Sabonis and make salary cap room for other moves.
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