The rumor mill has been working overtime: Domantas Sabonis in a Warriors jersey, paired with Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green, turning Golden State back into an instant Western Conference juggernaut. Sacramento’s All-Star big man is reportedly available, Jonathan Kuminga’s name keeps popping up in trade frameworks, and the Kings badly want the athletic 22-year-old wing.
But according to NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, pump the brakes, hard.
The Warriors, per multiple sources close to the situation, have little to no interest in acquiring Domantas Sabonis, even if the Kings are willing to listen to offers before the February trade deadline.
Fischer poured ice-cold water on the idea this week, writing:
“In truth I don’t think that the Warriors are going to factor into any Sabonis Sweepstakes. For a number of reasons… How many valued elements of its roster would the Warriors truly be willing to part with for a center who isn’t a floor-spacer or a rim protector?”
That’s the crux of it. Sabonis is a three-time All-Star, a walking triple-double machine, and one of the league’s premier playmaking bigs. But he’s also a 6’10” center who has never shot better than 35.9% from three in a season, attempts very few anyway and remains a clear negative as a rim protector.
Pair him with Jimmy Butler (another non-shooter) and Draymond Green in the frontcourt, and the spacing problems become nightmare fuel for Steve Kerr’s motion offense. Suddenly the greatest shooter of all time has even fewer driving lanes and catch-and-shoot looks.
Then there’s the money: Sabonis is owed roughly $95 million over the next two seasons after this one. For a Warriors team already deep into the luxury tax and trying to preserve flexibility around their new Butler-Curry core, that’s an enormous bet on a player who has never won a playoff series as the No. 1 or No. 2 option.
One proposed framework from Forbes’ Evan Sidery had Sabonis and Keon Ellis going to Golden State for Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Buddy Hield and picks. On paper the salaries work, but Fischer and others around the league believe the Warriors have zero appetite to gut their young wing depth and shooter surplus for a questionable fit.
Bottom line: While Sacramento covets Kuminga and a deal between the Northern California rivals remains possible, league sources say any trade is far more likely to be built around the Warriors’ young forward heading north, not Sabonis coming south.
The Warriors drew their line in the sand. Domantas Sabonis will not be the circuit-breaker they’re looking for.