Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings looks on in the NBA preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Honda Center in Anaheim, California, October 12, 2023. /CFP
Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings looks on in the NBA preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Honda Center in Anaheim, California, October 12, 2023. /CFP
When the Sacramento Kings traded Richaun Holmes and the No. 24 NBA Draft pick that turned into Olivier-Maxence Prosper to the Dallas Mavericks in June, they cleared some $30 million of cap space. Considering that the Kings rose surprisingly quickly during the 2022-23 season to finish in third place in the Western Conference, many expected the team to have a big transaction on their mind.
To a lot people’s surprise, the Kings then made the following moves:
Resigning a five-year, $217 million deal with Domantas Sabonis
Inking a three-year, $57 million extension with Harrison Barnes
Signing Trey Lyles on a two-year, $16 million deal
Bring Sasha Vezenkov to the NBA with a three-year, $20 million contract
Sasha Vezenkov (R) of the Sacramento Kings poses with his No. 7 jersey at the press conference in Sacramento, California, August 31, 2023. /CFP
Sasha Vezenkov (R) of the Sacramento Kings poses with his No. 7 jersey at the press conference in Sacramento, California, August 31, 2023. /CFP
The first three signings were extensions with the players that were on the Kings’ roster. Vezenkov was drafted by the Brooklyn Nets with the 57th pick in 2017 but never came to the league. The Kings acquired his signing rights in June 2022.
Of course, the team signed landed from outside, including signing three-time NBA champion center JaVale McGee as a free agent and trading two future second rounders to the Indiana Pacers for Chris Duarte.
So, the biggest move the Kings made during the offseason was giving up their starting big man for the three of the previous four seasons and a promising young man, so they could raise Sabonis’ salary in a handsome way.
JaVale McGee (#00) of the Sacramento Kings shoots in the NBA preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Honda Center in Anaheim, California, October 12, 2023. /CFP
JaVale McGee (#00) of the Sacramento Kings shoots in the NBA preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Honda Center in Anaheim, California, October 12, 2023. /CFP
The decision makes sense in one way because Sabonis was in his final year of his previous contract and his salary was $18.5 million before the resigning happened. The Kings could only offer him a new deal that begins with 140 percent of that number for the first-year salary based on the previous contract. That offer would be blown into nothing by bids that Sabonis can receive as a free agent.
Besides, the Kings would have never ended their 16-year-long postseason draught without the growth of Sabonis last season. Before they lost to the Golden State Warriors in the first-round playoffs, Sabonis averaged 19.1 points, 12.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game during the regular season. By contrast, Nikola Jokic got 19.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and seven assists per game before his back-to-back NBA Most Valuable Player seasons between 2020-2022.
Of course, the Kings had to find it out in a painful way in the series against the Warriors that Sabonis is not Jokic. He was lost in the middle range, where the defenders left him open intentionally. Defensively, he was targeted and attacked by nearly all of the Warriors’ perimeter players and there was nearly nothing he could do about it.
Chris Duarte (#3) of the Sacramento Kings drives toward the rim in the NBA preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Honda Center in Anaheim, California, October 12, 2023. /CFP
Chris Duarte (#3) of the Sacramento Kings drives toward the rim in the NBA preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Honda Center in Anaheim, California, October 12, 2023. /CFP
Simply speaking, despite his excellent performance, mainly on the offensive end, in the regular season, Sabonis is not good enough to play as the spine of a team that aims for something bigger than making the playoffs.
Judging by the Kings’ moves during the offseason, they were not trying to fix their shortcomings, but, instead, working to sharpen their biggest weapon, offense, which was already rated the best of all 30 teams in the 2022-23 campaign. Duarte can add more abilities of attacking off the dribble to the team’s wing position; McGee is a solid finisher under the hoop; Vezenkov is a big forward with complete offensive skills.
It’s still too early for the Kings to think about the conference finals. Holding on to everything they have at the moment and appearing in the playoffs constantly may their priority.
