Latest news with #Sabonis
Newsweek
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Celtics Suggested as Trade Destination for 3-Time All-Star Big Man
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Boston Celtics have had an interesting offseason. Brad Stevens had to trade away two key pieces of the team's core to get luxury tax relief and Jayson Tatum is early on in his recovery from tearing his Achilles during the team's second round playoff series against the New York Knicks. Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis were both traded. Al Horford also isn't expected to return to the Celtics next season. Add in the fact that Luke Kornet also left the team in NBA free agency to sign with the San Antonio Spurs, and Boston has a major question mark at the center position. Could Stevens look to address that issue this offseason? Domantas Sabonis #10 of the Sacramento Kings competes for a rebound against Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers in the first quarter at Golden 1 Center on October 29, 2023 in Sacramento, California. Domantas Sabonis #10 of the Sacramento Kings competes for a rebound against Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers in the first quarter at Golden 1 Center on October 29, 2023 in Sacramento, California. Photo byThat is something that has been suggested. Read more: Report: Celtics Still Considering Two More Offseason Trades Connor Thomas of Bleacher Report has come up with a trade idea that would land a three-team All-Star big man in Boston. He suggested a potential trade for Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis. In his trade idea, Thomas suggested Sabonis heading to the Celtics in exchange for Anfernee Simons, Sam Hauser, Georges Niang, Neemias Queta, and two first-round picks. Giving up that much in a trade would be a major swing for Boston. However, Sabonis is the kind of player who would be worth swinging for the fences to acquire. During the 2024-25 NBA season with the Kings, Sabonis continued his elite level of play. He played in 70 games, averaging 19.1 points per game to go along with 13.9 rebounds and six assists. Sabonis did all that while shooting 59 percent from the floor and 41.7 percent from the three-point line. Read more: NBA Scout Brutally Rips Into Lakers' LeBron James for Offseason Drama At 29 years old, Sabonis would fit the timeline that the Celtics currently have. He has two years left on his deal following the 2025-26 campaign. That would give Tatum plenty of time to get back to full health with Sabonis on the roster. Sabonis also still has a handful of good years left playing in his prime. A new "big four" of Sabonis, Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White would make Boston a top-tier contender for years to come. Of course, this is just an idea. If the Celtics were to pull off this kind of a blockbuster trade, they would need to add more depth off of the bench. It's an interesting idea, although it is a bit far-fetched. For more on the Boston Celtics and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The First Year of the NBA Lottery Was Also the Greatest Draft Ever
In 1985, the NBA introduced a lottery system to decide the draft order of non-playoff teams—a revolutionary development with a legacy that still lingers on the lottery's 40th anniversary. Before 1985, the team picking first overall had been determined through a coin flip between the worst teams in each conference. Under the new drawing method, envelopes containing names of all the teams that missed the postseason the prior campaign were mixed up in a sphere before then-commissioner David Stern reached in, grabbed one and revealed it to the world. Advertisement More from The New York Knicks were the first lottery winners, benefiting from a reach-and-grab that has been the subject of countless YouTube deep dives over the years. People have long speculated that the lottery was rigged for the big-market Knicks despite attempts from the NBA to shut down the rumors. Was New York's envelope frozen, or its corner bent to help Stern identify it? Probably not, but the massive exhale taken by the former commish before doing his duty added fuel to the decades-old theories. Conspiracies have remained a hallmark of the lottery ever since. That includes the evidence-deficient chatter this year after the Dallas Mavericks won the 2025 No. 1 pick—and the chance to take Duke phenom Cooper Flagg on Wednesday night—despite finishing with a record near .500. (The Utah Jazz—who held the worst record of the 2024-25 season at 17-65, a .207 winning percentage—will be picking fifth overall.) The lottery has evolved over the years. Envelopes became ping-pong balls, and the NBA tilted the odds heavily in favor of the worst teams in 1993 before returning to more flattened odds in 2019 to disincentivize tanking, which contributed to Dallas winning the Flagg sweepstakes. Advertisement While the clearest through-line from the 1985 draft to 2025 draft is the lottery, the event 40 years ago has a lot more intrigue to offer. For starters, the 1985 draft may well be the best of all time. The class as a whole produced 1,707 career win shares, a Basketball-Reference statistic which attempts to divvy up individual credit for team success. That's about 10% more than the next-highest class, which amazingly was 1984, featuring some guy named Michael Jordan. (When fans revel in the nostalgia of the late '80s and early '90s, they actually have a point!) The 1985 draft produced 10 All-Stars, tied for the most of any draft since the ABA/NBA merger in 1976. Four of those players became Hall of Famers—Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin, Karl Malone and Joe Dumars. Technically, Lithuanian Hall of Fame center Arvydas Sabonis was selected with the No. 77 pick, but the selection was voided because Sabonis was not yet 21 at the time of the draft. Advertisement Even with Sabonis excluded, the 1985 draft was a banner year for international prospects, with Detlef Schrempf, Uwe Blab and Bill Wennington among the first-rounders selected. And that list doesn't include No. 1 overall pick Ewing, who was born in Jamaica but moved to the U.S. at 13. A whopping eight foreign-born players were picked in the first 50 slots, a number that wouldn't be topped for more than a decade. Last year, 17 of the first 50 picks were born outside the U.S. Schrempf was the first European to ever be drafted in the top 10, and his successful career, which included an All-NBA nod in 1994-95 and an NBA Finals appearance in 1996, inspired teams to take more chances on overseas talent. Canadian big man Wennington was drafted fresh off a Final Four appearance with St. John's, one of three Big East teams to make the March Madness semifinals in 1985. That calendar year perhaps marked the absolute peak of the conference, as four Big East players were drafted in the top 10 for the first and only time ever. Advertisement In addition to the international talent wave, 1985 draftees foreshadowed other modern NBA trends. No. 5 overall pick John Koncak averaged just 4.7 points per game in 1988-89, but he nonetheless received a six-year, $13 million deal from the Atlanta Hawks that summer. Suddenly, big money wasn't just for superstars. Or stars. Or starters. Known ever since as 'Jon Contract,' the career backup was remarkably candid, and prescient, in an interview with Sports Illustrated at the time. 'Hey, I can't justify what they offered me,' Koncak said. 'But what was I supposed to do? Say no? The league is changing. I think maybe this is just the start.' Sportico wrote earlier this season about the latest phase of the league's 3-point revolution—ball-dominant guards pulling up more often from beyond the arc. But Michael Adams was doing that before it was cool. The 5-foot-10 , No. 66 overall pick in 1985 thrived under Denver Nuggets coach Doug Moe's breakneck pace and led the NBA in 3-point attempts for four straight seasons, a feat nobody else achieved until Steph Curry. A horde of other characters drafted 40 years ago deserve entire books written about them, but they will have to settle for just a sentence devoted to them here. No. 2 pick Wayman Tisdale averaged 22.3 points per game in 1990 for the Sacramento Kings and then went on to record eight music albums primarily as a bassist, including one that climbed to No. 1 on Billboard's contemporary jazz chart, before his death in 2009. Sudan's 7-foot-6 Manute Bol became the only player to ever retire with more blocked shots than points scored before becoming a political activist and humanitarian; Bol died in 2010. There's AC Green, best known for his iron man streak during which he played an NBA record 1,192 consecutive games—and only slightly less known for his claims of being a virgin throughout his career, until his marriage in 2002. Don't sleep on Terry Porter, who made only two All-Star games with the Portland Trail Blazers, but whose stats portray a playoff-riser, efficient shooter and low-turnover distributor who ranks 73rd all-time in win shares. Seventh-rounder and No. 160 overall pick Mario Elie played overseas for five years before finally getting a chance in the NBA, where he won three titles and made one of the most clutch shots in league history—a game-winning trey in Game 7 of the 1995 Western Conference semifinals. Advertisement There was lots of talent to be mined in the later rounds of the 1985 draft. Spaniard Fernando Martin, selected at No. 38, played just one NBA season but was the second-leading scorer for his 1984 Olympic silver medal-winning team. Another member of the single-season club, No. 41 pick Lorenzo Charles, will forever be known for his buzzer-beating put-back dunk in the championship game of the 1983 NCAA tournament to lift Cinderella North Carolina State to victory over heavily favored Houston. John 'Hot Rod' Williams averaged double-digit points for nine consecutive seasons and boasted one of the league's best nicknames—not bad for the No. 45 pick. Gerald Wilkins, chosen last in the second round, brought out the first prop in dunk contest history in 1986 when he jumped over a folding chair ('Isn't that incredible!?' the announcer exclaimed with more enthusiasm than Spike Lee watching Mac McClung jump over a car 39 years later). Speaking of dunk contests, the No. 87 overall pick, 5-foot-7 Spud Webb, won that 1986 event and carved out a role in the NBA over a 12-year career despite his stature. Today, players under 6 feet are nowhere to be seen (although the Grizzlies' 5-foot-8 Yuki Kawamura is trying his darndest). Remarkably, 1985 isn't the only superlative draft class celebrating a significant anniversary this year. The worst cohort of all-time by that simple win shares metric is 2000. Maybe Kenyon Martin and Stromile Swift can get together and crack open a bottle of champagne. Advertisement Best of Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sources: What Domantas Sabonis' Kings future looks like amid Raptors trade rumors
The post Sources: What Domantas Sabonis' Kings future looks like amid Raptors trade rumors appeared first on ClutchPoints. Not too long ago, the Sacramento Kings reached a pinnacle that their fans had not experienced in close to two decades. When the Kings snapped their 16-season playoff drought during the 2022-23 season, it appeared as they were the young, rising team everyone in the Western Conference would need to look out for due to All-Stars De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Advertisement Two seasons later, the Kings have now missed the playoffs in back-to-back years, and much has changed. Mike Brown, who set a standard and culture in Sacramento and was named the 2022-23 NBA Coach of the Year, was fired after 31 games during this 2024-25 season. Fox, who had been the cornerstone of the franchise, was moved before the trade deadline in a blockbuster three-team trade with the San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls. Now, entering an offseason full of uncertainty, Sabonis is hearing his name in trade rumors as a result of the uncertainty that clouds the Kings once more. Owner Vivek Ranadive has made it clear that he doesn't envision his organization taking yet another massive step back, especially given the talent that exists on this Sacramento roster. Despite the Kings underperforming expectations by a mile, the reality of the situation is that they still have a talented group with Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, Malik Monk, and Jonas Valanciunas under contract entering the 2025-26 season. Advertisement That is why Sacramento will be aggressive in its hunt for further upgrades this offseason. This is also why Sabonis trade rumors have been blown out of proportion and are nothing more than some creating noise for the sake of doing so, since it's the offseason. The Kings are not actively shopping Domantas Sabonis Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images The Kings have not been contacting teams gauging trade interest in Domantas Sabonis, league sources confirmed to ClutchPoints. Although Sabonis has heard his name come up in recent rumors, Sacramento has not shown any interest in parting ways with the 29-year-old star big man to this point. Advertisement With this said, new GM Scott Perry and his front office are plotting different avenues for the direction in which they want to take the franchise. Barring a drastic change in their mentality and shifting to a rebuilding phase, which continues to look unlikely, Sabonis will enter the 2025-26 season as one of the leading voices of this organization. However, it is worth mentioning Sabonis' long-term outlook still faces a level of uncertainty because the All-Star big man has been seeking clarity. Many around the league began questioning what the Kings have planned with Sabonis after Fox was traded before the deadline in February. More importantly, Sabonis himself is beginning to ask questions about what the future looks like in Sacramento. New leadership from Perry and the front office should be able to provide Sabonis with the answers he needs, and so far, there have not been any indications that the two sides want to split, like what transpired with Fox and his representation. Advertisement Of course, that has not stopped the rumor mill from engulfing Sabonis, as he was recently linked to the Toronto Raptors. Masai Ujiri is always looking for ways to increase the Raptors' overall potential, and you can never count out Toronto trading for a star player. After being rumored to be in the hunt for a 'big fish' this offseason by ESPN's Brian Windhorst, rumors surrounding Sabonis spiraled out of control. No contact between Toronto and Sacramento regarding Sabonis has taken place, and Doug Smith of the Toronto Star confirmed such on Sactown Sports 1140. 'I've never heard his name in a conversation with anybody involved with the Raptors for a year and a half,' Smith stated. 'They're pretty happy with Jakob Poeltl with two years left in his deal at $20 million a year. Sabonis is a great player, no question about it. But I've never heard his name linked to Toronto. Anybody who I've talked to in the Raptors' front office, or the decision level, has never talked [about him] as a guy that they would like to pursue.' The Raptors have been rumored to be in the hunt for Giannis Antetokounmpo if he becomes available in trade conversations, but the idea of Toronto potentially pursuing a trade for Sabonis is nothing more than fan fiction. Advertisement It doesn't appear as if everything will spiral out of control with Sabonis as it did between the Kings and Fox. Sacramento has been home for Sabonis over the last four years, and he has made it clear that he and his family envision remaining there for the foreseeable future. Obviously, things change in the NBA, and nothing is ever certain. Just ask Luka Doncic about that. But the reality of this situation for the Kings is that they have a star big man they constantly play through on offense, who is happy in his role of being one of the leaders of the team. All Sabonis wants is clarity about the franchise's desire to win, which is one of the reasons why Perry will seek win-now moves during the summer. There is also some time for the two sides to chart a winning path together. Sabonis signed a four-year, $186 million contract with Sacramento in 2023 and will be entering the second year of his deal during the 2025-26 season, which is valued at $43.6 million. This season, he averaged 19.1 points, 13.9 rebounds (league-high), and 6.0 assists per game while shooting 59.0 percent from the floor. Will Kings move DeMar DeRozan? Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images The big question surrounding the Kings this offseason revolves around what will happen with 35-year-old DeMar DeRozan, who will be turning 36 in August before the start of the 2025-26 season. Advertisement DeRozan signed a three-year, $73.8 million contract with the Kings via a sign-and-trade agreement with the Chicago Bulls in 2024, yet the veteran admitted that this past year was one of the most challenging of his career due to everything that happened in Sacramento. 'It's probably the most I've been through in my 16-year career,' DeRozan said in the aftermath of being eliminated in the West play-in tournament. 'The season we had was a lot. It's too hard to fathom right now.' The Kings are expected to gauge the market for DeRozan this summer, sources said. Since DeRozan will make $24.7 million during the 2025-26 season, his scoring production on an affordable contract will draw a level of intrigue from teams seeking a proven star and not wanting to tie themselves down long-term. For years, the Miami Heat have been labeled as a prime destination for DeRozan, and he will once again be viewed as a plausible target for Pat Riley's team. It is also possible that the Boston Celtics could express interest in a player like DeRozan to try and replicate Jayson Tatum's lost production after the All-NBA First Team forward suffered a torn Achilles in the playoffs. Advertisement Unlike Sabonis, whom the organization doesn't have an interest in moving at this time, a trade involving DeRozan this offseason is believable. Then again, Perry won't trade the Sacramento veteran just for the sake of doing so. This offseason for the Kings is all about finding ways to improve their immediate outlook and get back to the playoffs. The organization will only make deals that create a clearer path to finding success, as there are no cap-saving moves that need to be made in Sacramento right now.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kings, Knicks Predicted to Swap Stars in Blockbuster Offseason Trade
Kings, Knicks Predicted to Swap Stars in Blockbuster Offseason Trade originally appeared on Athlon Sports. It was a disappointing season for the Sacramento Kings as they finished ninth in the Western Conference and failed to make the playoffs after losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the Play-In Tournament. Advertisement Now the Kings face some key decisions to begin the offseason regarding their roster as they try to rebound from a season full of change. Of course, Sacramento already made some major moves by hiring a new general manager and officially naming Doug Christie as their head coach. Now their attention shifts to their roster, primarily their star trio of Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) and guard Malik Monk (0) walk up the court against the Minnesota Timberwolves© Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images There is belief around the NBA that they will move at least one of these players to try and retool their roster. With this in mind, Sports Illustrated's Will Zimmerle recently proposed a mock trade that would see the Kings and New York Knicks swap their star centers. Advertisement In the trade, Zimmerle has Sacramento sending Sabonis, Devin Carter and a the Minnesota Timberwolves 2031 first-round pick to New York in exchange for Karl-Anthony Towns. This would be an interesting move for both teams, especially the Kings as they would send away one of their star players and potentially their point guard of the future to add Towns. New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony TownsTrevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Of course, Towns is a great offensive center and he is also a great defender, but he struggles on the defensive end, which was seen during New York's playoff run. Because of this, Sacramento may be better off just keeping Sabonis who is an elite rebounder and has also been a great scorer for them during his time with the franchise. Advertisement The Kings would also have to give up Carter who showed flashes during his rookie season of eventually becoming Sacramento's new point guard after they traded De'Aaron Fox at the trade deadline. Jan 3, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Devin Carter (22) dribbles the ball against the Memphis Grizzlies during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center.© Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images Due to this, the Kings may be better off keeping Carter and if they end up trading Sabonis, they could instead look to add multiple pieces to upgrade their bench rather than acquiring another star. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Three-Team NBA Mock Trade Allows Lakers to Contend, Kings to Rebuild
According to a recent report, the Sacramento Kings are expected to shop DeMar DeRozan on the trade market. If the Kings, under a new front office regime, are serious about parting ways with their veteran talent and rebuilding, then trading DeRozan isn't enough, and Domantas Sabonis will need to be dealt away as well. With three seasons left on his contract and as the best rebounder in the league, Sabonis would trail only Giannis Antetokounmpo as the most sought-after player on the trade block. Advertisement The Los Angeles Lakers, after their first-round exit, will likely look for a player who can both maximize the end of LeBron James' prime and be Luka Doncic's long-term running mate, and Sabonis fits the bill. He won't come cheap, but a three-team trade could allow the Kings to rebuild, the Lakers to contend in the West, and the Memphis Grizzlies to bounce back after two disappointing seasons in a row. Dec 21, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) fight for possession of the ball during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. © Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images NBA Mock Trade Checks All the Boxes Assuming that the Kings are interested in a full-on rebuild, adding as much draft capital while shedding as much salary will be the priority. The Grizzlies, with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., can compete in the West but could use an added star (or two!), and the Lakers need a paint presence and a scorer who is not that ball-dominant. Advertisement While this mock trade certainly makes the Kings less competitive, the massive haul of young talent and draft capital would make it worth it in the long run. Full Mock Trade Details Kings receive: Rui Hachimura, Dorian Finney-Smith, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kelber, Dalton Knecht, 2027 first-round pick (via MEM), 2029 first-round pick (via MEM), 2031 first-round pick (via LAL), 2031 first-round pick (via MEM) Lakers receive: Domantas Sabonis, Desmond Bane Grizzlies receive: DeMar DeRozan, Austin Reaves The Lakers get Sabonis for Knecht and a pick, which is what they were going to pay for Mark Williams during the season. They do have to give up Reaves, but replace him with Desmond Bane, who is less talented, but would fit in well with James and Doncic. Advertisement The Grizzlies, meanwhile, add a high-level scorer in DeRozan and a fringe All-Star guard next to Morant. A starting five of Morant, Reaves, DeRozan, Jackson Jr., and Zach Edey is pretty solid, and they get to keep key depth pieces as well. The Kings, meanwhile, get to shed the salaries of Finney-Smith, Kelber, Vincent, and Hachimura next offseason when they are free agents, and have only one more season after that of paying LaVine. Once LaVine is off the books, the Kings will have three first-round picks in 2027, two in 2029, and two in 2031, as well as a single pick in both 2028 and 2030, as well as plenty of cap space. It's not a fast rebuild in Sacramento, but fans of the Kings have developed more patience than any other fan base in the league. Some have criticized Sabonis' potential fit and contract in Los Angeles, and his lack of defensive prowess is certainly a concern, although his offensive fit next to Doncic in a post-James era would be pretty seamless. Advertisement While losing Reaves is a massive loss, the long-term viability of him in Hollywood is questionable, anyway, and replacing him with Bane, who is one of the best shooters in the league, is a pretty solid deal. This Kings' roster is not going to compete with their current construction, and blowing it all up for the best roster possible is hard to pass up, especially when Knecht is included in the deal, rounding out the wings long-term next to Keegan Murray. Check out the Inside the Kings homepage for more news, analysis, and must-read articles. Related: Mock Trade Sends Kings' DeMar DeRozan Home to Los Angeles in Offseason Deal With Lakers Related: Kings Predicted to Finally Land Former Top Trade Target in Offseason Deal With Bucks
