Kings All-Star Details Meeting With GM Scott Perry

The Kings have a lot of talent on the roster, but there isn’t much of an argument to be made that Sabonis isn’t the teams’ best player. Sabonis averaged 19 points, 14 boards, and 6 assists per night while shooting 60% from the field and 41% from deep.

There are plenty of fair gripes with Sabonis' game, but he is one of the better offensive players in the league. Having Sabonis be on board with the teams’ direction is vital to making anything of this season and possibly the future. The Lithuanian gave fans even more confidence that he is on board while confirming that he understood trading away his fellow countrymate to Denver.

“We know where all these decisions are coming from”

On one hand, Sabonis responses are the norm after a regime change. It would be rare for a player to air any grievances this early on in the process, however, Sabonis wasn’t hesitant to voice some displeasure last season.

The lack of a point guard after the De’Aaron Fox trade was something that he specifically called out during the last stretch of the season and coincidentally, it was one of the first moves that Perry looked to complete this offseason. The roster still has a ways to go when it comes to balance and it may be a while until the transformation is complete, something Sabonis also seems to understand. 

It remains to be seen if Sabonis will be part of the future in Sacramento. He’s an incredibly talented player and the formula to build around him is there, but his limitations are also tough to overcome in the modern NBA.

It would make sense for Perry to be patient with Sabonis and see how the team looks when head coach, Doug Christie, doesn’t have his hands tied with the roster. The other issue is that Sabonis’ value is probably much higher on the Kings than it is elsewhere.

Most NBA teams want their centers to be rim protectors, lob threats, and/or capable of stepping behind the 3 point line. Sabonis shot well from deep last season, but he is an under the basket player for the most part and his wingspan limits his ability to block shots. Because of his profile, the Kings may never get offered a package that comes close to the value Sabonis provides in Sacramento. 

This season likely won’t be a great one for Sacramento with the talent level around them in the Western Conference, but the team can still take steps forward. Creating an identity is vital for a team that is struggling, and your best player being on the same page with the front office and coaching staff is the first step.

Sacramento hasn’t done Sabonis any favors with the way they’ve approached team building since making the playoffs, adding Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan who aren’t great fits around their star center. Sabonis will always have to carry the Tyrese Haliburton trade with him and may never improve his shortcomings, but he is still an All-NBA caliber player and worth trying to build around.

Saying the team has an uphill battle to building a roster that maximizes Sabonis’ skills is an understatement, but the synergy between him and Perry is a great start.