The Sacramento Kings had one of the most exciting trade deadlines in recent NBA history. It's intriguing why they chose to trade Tyrese Haliburton, but it's a choice they'll have to live with and attempt to convince the rest of the world that it was the correct option for them.
Fortunately for Sacramento, they were able to obtain star Domantas Sabonis back in the deal, so this wasn't the worst loss in trade deadline history. While Sabonis hasn't always played his best basketball this season, he is still a former All-Star with plenty of potential to help the Kings go back to the playoffs, which they haven't experienced in a long time.
The Kings' decision to make De'Aaron Fox the team's future isn't the most bizarre thing in the world. While Fox isn't enjoying the best year of his career, he remains an outstanding point guard with the ability to lead this club to where it needs to be in the future. Sacramento is obviously still a long way from being a title contender, so it's to be predicted that they'd have a busy summer trying to pair some additional players with De'Aaron Fox and Sabonis.
Although letting go of Tyrese Haliburton may not have been the ideal move, here are three reasons why the Sacramento Kings made the right decision in bringing in Domantas Sabonis and why he is the perfect fit for this team.
While some fans may disagree with the reasons why their club traded for Sabonis, the front office made a wonderful move. There was definitely an area where they could improve, and while this guy isn't the ideal solution, he still has a lot of promise for this club.
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Domantas Sabonis Kings
3. He's finally out of Indiana
There's no disputing that Domantas Sabonis no longer wanted to remain in Indiana, and who could blame him? They've been one of the most disappointing teams in recent memory, and it's not unreasonable for him to want out of there. Sacramento may not be the ideal location, but this squad does have some promise, which he and they must recognize
The Indiana Pacers clearly don't know what they're doing, and based on their current team with Sabonis, they weren't going to make the playoffs, and if they did, they weren't going to have much success. It's difficult to predict if the Sacramento Kings will make the playoffs or have any success in the near future, but they now have two legitimate stars in De'Aaron Fox and Damontas Sabonis, so if they can only add a few key role players, they may make some noise in the near future.
2. Has the opportunity to play alongside a top-tier point guard
While Domantas Sabonis has played with several outstanding players during his career, it's difficult to argue that he has ever played with a point guard as gifted as De'Aaron Fox.
Malcolm Brogdon was a high-level point guard for the Pacers, but he can't do nearly as much as Fox. Fox is undoubtedly one of the top ball-handlers in the game in recent memory, and he'll be able to set up open baskets and easy pick-and-rolls for Sabonis. Brogdon was a more of a defensive-minded point guard, and while he isn't a bad player, he isn't as good as Fox.
1. Pick-and-roll with Fox
One of the main reasons why this was such a good deal for the Sacramento Kings is that they can now play De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis in an elite pick-and-roll offensive scheme. Sabonis has a knack for getting to the basket, which will be immensely essential to this Kings squad in the future.
Given how speedy Fox is, rival teams will find it difficult to defend that pick-and-roll. If Sabonis doesn't have an easy roll to the basket, Fox can sail right by you, and opposing defenses won't be able to stop him.
It will be fascinating to observe how this duo performs. Sacramento chose to take a chance on this trade, but it might turn out to be a wise decision in the future. They might be a team that makes some noise in the Western Conference playoffs in a few seasons if they can get these two guys on the same page. This is clearly a move for the Kings that is more about their future, therefore this is the first of many huge moves in the near future for this team.
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