Did you watch Domantas Sabonis absolutely decimate the Nets earlier this year?
Jan. 25: 41 minutes, 21 points, 22 rebounds and 10 assists on 80 percent shooting from the field. The biggest 2025 NBA All-Star snub posted a triple-double that night in Brooklyn that makes you wonder what that level of production could look like in Nets World long term.
Sacramento's star was overlooked at the break, blindsided by Mike Brown’s termination and left to watch his co-star De’Aaron Fox push for a trade to San Antonio, which he could respond to by digging in as the Kings' core piece, or like Fox, push for a fresh start elsewhere under brighter lights.
Nothing points to a sure Sacramento departure, but just as he quietly dominates his competition across the league, Sabonis must also be quietly considering a new beginning after the most tumultuous season of his Kings tenure. Remember, Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez served as an assistant for the Kings (2022-2024) while Sabonis earned top-10 MVP consideration and the franchise went 94-70 in the regular season under Brown, Fernandez and company.
Fernandez would certainly welcome the idea of a reunion with the 28-year-old workhorse, knowing he’s still in his prime, the best rebounder in the NBA and willing to fly under the radar as one of the most efficient frontcourt threats. If general manager Sean Marks asked Fernandez what players he thinks Brooklyn should gauge the market on, it’d be hard to imagine Sabonis not immediately entering that conversation about the future.
Most PTS + REB + AST:
— StatMuse (@statmuse) January 31, 2025
2,160 — All-Star starter
1,967 — All-Star starter
1,939 — All-Star starter
1,848 — All-Star starter
1,847 — Domantas Sabonis
1,796 — All-Star starter
1,768 — All-Star
1,749 — All-Star
1,733 — All-Star starter
1,721 — All-Star
1,707 — All-Star starter pic.twitter.com/OVv7XKbbw1
The two-time All-NBA selection is averaging more than 19 points, 14 rebounds and six assists per game on a career-high 63.5 percent effective field goal percentage, approaching his third season as the NBA’s rebounding champ. It’s also the first season where Sabonis is averaging at least one three-point make per game, converting on 43.2 percent of his attempts from outside.
Sabonis, who has been out with a hamstring injury (to be re-evaluated on March 11), has $140.3 million left on his contract across the next three seasons. With Brooklyn’s league-leading cap space this offseason in mind, Sabonis is set to make $43.63 million in 2025-26, $46.77 million in 2026-27 and $49.90 million in 2027-28.
By no means does Brooklyn need to call trying to force-feed draft capital to the Kings, but if Sacramento does decide to inquire about the Nets’ stockpile of picks, an ideal fit for this staff is there for the taking.