The Sacramento Kings have been mismanaged for so long that when the team traded away Tyrese Haliburton for Domantas Sabonis, it was met with eye-rolls from the majority of pundits. But Sabonis has been such an important piece for the Kings, a driving force behind their remarkable turnaround during the 2022-23 season wherein they made the postseason for the first time since 2006. Thus, entering the last year of his deal, it was imperative for the Kings to keep him for the long haul so they could continue building towards, perhaps, competing for a championship.

And this offseason, that's exactly what the Kings did, signing Sabonis to a five-year, $217 million extension to keep their All-NBA duo of De'Aaron Fox and Sabonis in the city of Sacramento for the foreseeable future. And this wasn't exactly a difficult decision for the Lithuanian big man to make, as he feels very much at home with the Kings organization.

“Oh yeah of course, I wanted to stay here. So when the opportunity came, I was more than happy to sign,” Sabonis told reporters after the Kings' Thursday night training camp session. “The moment I got traded and I walked out and got a standing ovation from the fans [was when I was convinced that Sacramento was home]. I care about that. The fans have been big.”

Kings fans have embraced Domantas Sabonis like he's one of their own, which has clearly won Sabonis' affections over. And why wouldn't Kings fans do so? Sabonis has been the consummate professional and he has been expressive of his love for Sacramento. To top it all off, he's the engine of the Kings' whirring, motion-based, league-leading offensive attack last season, functioning as its handoff hub, getting the most out of De'Aaron Fox and vice versa.

With Fox under contract until at least the end of the 2025-26 season, the Kings now have at least three more years with their All-Star duo leading the way. And the Kings franchise trusts the two to lead the way, which further reaffirms Sabonis' love for the organization.

“Yeah of course [it feels like home]. It's like trusting me in this franchise for Fox and I to lead. I'm excited.”

The Kings' 2023-24 season begins on October 25 at 9 P.M. ET when they take on the Utah Jazz on the road.