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NBA Trades: Both sides of the Domantas Sabonis-Tyrese Haliburton trade

By Dallin Duffy

Indiana Pacers player Domantas Sabonis (C) dribbles a ball past Sacramento Kings player Marvin Bagley (L) during the first pre-season NBA basketball game between Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers at the NSCI Dome in Mumbai on October 4, 2019, NBA Trades: Both sides of the Domantas Sabonis-Tyrese Haliburton trade. (Photo by PUNIT PARANJPE / AFP) (Photo by PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP via Getty Images)
Indiana Pacers player Domantas Sabonis (C) dribbles a ball past Sacramento Kings player Marvin Bagley (L) during the first pre-season NBA basketball game between Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers at the NSCI Dome in Mumbai on October 4, 2019, NBA Trades: Both sides of the Domantas Sabonis-Tyrese Haliburton trade. (Photo by PUNIT PARANJPE / AFP) (Photo by PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP via Getty Images) /
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NBA Trades: Both sides of the Domantas Sabonis-Tyrese Haliburton trade
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 17: Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Indiana Pacers reacts to a play during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena on January 17, 2022 in Los Angeles, California, NBA Trades: Both sides of the Domantas Sabonis-Tyrese Haliburton trade. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /

Why the Domantas Sabonis trade was good for the Sacramento Kings

Simply put, Domantas Sabonis is the best player included in the six-player swap. Tyrese Haliburton is a stud sophomore and Buddy Hield is a sharpshooting role player, but neither come close to Sabonis’ skillset at this moment.

The versatile forward is coming off of back-to-back All-Star appearances and averaged 20.3 points to go along with 12.0 rebounds in 2020-21. Including five this year, he’s put up 18 triple-double since the start of 2019-20.

He can space the floor, create in the post, and clean the glass, all at a very high level. Able to play the four or five, he’ll give the Sacramento Kings their first great big man since DeMarcus Cousins.

But that’s not all they got. An underrated aspect of the deal was their acquisition of Justin Holiday and Jeremy Lamb. Both are proven 3&D veterans who can work together to fill the void left by Haliburton’s defense and Hield’s long-range dominance.

So, if all the Kings wanted to do was make a run at ending the league’s longest postseason drought, I like the move. They’re currently the 13th seed in the West but are just a few games back of the 10th seed, which would land them in the play-in tournament.

Sabonis makes them better now. In the long run? We’ll see.

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