For real. As a Blazers fan I remember watching Sabonis as a kid. It was at the end of his career, he was very slow, but could still dish out insane passes. Hoping the best for his son. Hopefully he has a long great career
no no hes an expert for sure. his analysis on his youtube channel is better then 99% of espn / nba youtubers analysis. actually discussing coaching schemes setups tactics instead of just reactionary opinion garbage thats common online.
His analysis wasn't that great. There was no mention of Huerter, Monk, Murray or coach Mike Brown. Sabonis and Fox are a big reason they are winning, but there should be a LOT more credit for the role players and coach they added in the offseason.
The NBA is addicted to highlight real players. Guys like Iverson and Carter who have cool cross overs and have nice dunks. Even tho those aren't the players that go on to win titles
Lol you couldn't name any more recent examples? Iverson hasn't played for ~15 years and Vince, although retired only a couple of years ago, hasn't been a "cool crossover and nice dunks" kinda guy for about the same
To be fair JJ Redick was spot on. Only reason it’s working rn with the kings is because they surrounded fox & sabonis with straight shooters. Huerter. Keegan Murray. Malik monk. Complement them PERFECTLY.
What JJ said technically made sense, but the Kings GM making moves to get Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter fixed all the problems he talked about. The Kings are LEGIT
Kind of funny that The Kings acquired a 25 year old, two time all star with no injury or off the court issues and were looked at that they were absolutely robbed in the trade, lol.
Clearly not robbed but they did give a franchise changing player for a really good big. Typically that is not a long term winning move. Haliburton is having a better season than Sabonis. Haliburton 20/10/4 on 48%/88%/40% shooting. Also just 2.6 TOs per game. Sabonis 18/12/7 on 61%/75%/37% shooting. But averages a full half turnover more per game while handling the ball way less.
@@mpzurlino Hali’s numbers are inflated right now due to being the only real scoring and play making option on a mid team. Also you’re comparing two guys from positions that are exact opposites from one another?
@@mpzurlino He leads the league in rebounding. He's been top ten in assists all year. He's the best passing big man in the league after Jokic. If you watch the Kings you'll see how much he handles the ball. Regardless, my point was EVERYBODY ripped this trade as not just the Kings losing the trade, but this was seen as a historically bad trade
@@THEOsu-bu1sy The irony is Haliburtons best asset is his passing, while Sabonis is also a great passer. People still seem to think that there's a giant age difference where in reality Sabonis is three years older then him
I always found it weird that even after seeing what Sabonis did in Indiana with his rebounding and passing (which showed that what he did in college well translated over), people still underrate him and his skillset. Even with similar sorts of players dominating recently, he still "doesn't move the needle". I think part of that was due to the twin towers experiments in Indiana, where they really had two centers and while spacing wise it was alright, Sabonis isn't that quick and isn't going to jump out of the gym so maching up with modern power forwards and small forwards wasn't realistic. But even with that, he had shown really good efficency inside, really good (and willing) passing and elite rebounding, the sort of big man I would suspect most teams would want, so why people think that wouldn't move the needle would be weird.
@@kennethmatney9622 stop it. anyone who plays his style of ball gets called boring, regardless of any other factors, it’s clearly about ball and not what you’re implying. I don’t even agree with it, I think he’s an awesome player, but don’t try to make this something it’s not. Reveals more about how you see the world than it does about anyone else.
@@yurinoworry LOL what? I was thinking international?!?!? what is even going on right now. I think it may say more about your world view, turn the TV off, go outside, socialize and chill, it works wonders lol. wow
@@yurinoworry Same reason that Jokic, Doncic, Sengun, and many others were underrated and passed up by a lot of teams, they are international players that are not that athletic and appear slow on TV, not that exciting for USA basketball. But I guess if you view everything from a western perspective you see it in other ways. Good luck with that, seems to be going fine the great USA lol.
agreed the sabonis disrespect is peak bspn hating on small market team players who aren't "superstars" he's been absolutely amazing for the kings and playing hurt. nothing but respect for him.
OKC Thunder fan here. I know that Sabonis is part of how we ended up with SGA (and I'm certainly glad we did) but I have hated having to let him go from the moment we traded him. Sure wish we still had him but I hope he continues to prove his detractors wrong.
Nets fan but absolute basketball junkie, could only imagine how it felt to see a young sabonis in the making, definitely can tell he was special. I remember that team lol with young dipo after being traded from Orlando
I imagine the OKC could have made deals where they have Sabonis. That dude would be killing it with them with all those players that move without the ball and pass as well.
@@drnobody1006 yep exactly. So people saying it hurt them seeing Sabo go are completely out of their minds, if they believe that. Sabo was not being utilized whatsoever when he was in OKC. He did not fit that system and just simply couldn't figure it out his first year in the league. rewind a year later, on the Pacers and under a system that most definitely played to his strengths, etc. Dipo as well. You Thunder fans can all thank Westbrook for all the stars, potential, y'all had on your teams throughout the years that only blossomed the moment they were traded to diff teams or signed elsewhere. Js 👀
Tyrese is great young player, but a highly intelligent offensive center like Sabonis is simply better fit for de'Aaron Fox. Also there is a question of timeline. Fox is 25, Sabonis 26, Huerter 24, Mitchell 24, Murray 22. None is super young and only Barnes is slightly older 30.
@@tj5180 Halibitter is more of a half court slow offense with a lot of PnR and ball handling for Halibitter while Fox game was more fast pace, a lot of freedom and read base off defense. Sabonis is perfect for Fox style.
@@blowc1612 I don't know, but some may disagree with me, but (De'Aaron Fox) also has disadvantages in the offense, sometimes he really plays the ball too long in the offense and as a result loses it, there were such matches where the result could have been equalized or even prevailed and won the match but the ball was lost, let's hope he learns from these mistakes. The Sacramento Kings offensive players need to play more and faster through D. Sabonis, because Sabonis attracts many players of the opposing team to him, and after passing the ball to the perimeter of the three-point zone, the snipers of the Kings team attack quite accurately. As far as I noticed, a lot has changed in the team this year, which is only good, because now the team is where it is.
Kings should not sleep on their laurels. There is a lot of work left to do to rebuild the reputation. They are certainly on the right track. As for Sabonis, not many know, his dad, a hall of famer, was slow to grow up. So he used to play point guard position. That made him good in passing. I am sure Arvydas and Domas have talked about this a lot.
Kings just focused on making the playoffs this year. They need to know how this roster will do in the playoffs. They have the rights to the best Euroleague player and has a high chance coming this off season, adding another shooter would speed the floor even more Kings will have cap space this coming off season, Kings has their 1st round picks except for 2024. Kings are so ahead of schedule it's insane, that I guarantee they're contenders next off season.
@@blowc1612 Thank you! I did not know all this. As long as Kings win I am satisfied. Yes, it makes sense to be methodical and first get into playoffs. The team is young. As for what many say that a small market, that did not stop San Antonio. Go Kings!
As a Kings fan since they moved here, thank you sir for this video. It's crucial to look back in time a bit & hold responsible those in the national media who were adamant that this was a horribly irresponsible trade for the Kings. I thought the worst example was the Jalen & Jacoby show, who said something like the NBA needs to investigate this trade & should have prevented it from going forward because it was so shockingly one sided, & that sort of unprofessional malfeasance cannot stand...heads need to roll, etc. They, & everyone, were right about Hali....but that was the entire point, that's why such a young player was able to be traded for an All Star center who the Kings could run their entire offense thru, while freeing up Fox to be the dominator & clutch scorer/defender he's meant to be. Hali is great, but Sabonis is just a better fit on this team, & even more impactful than Hali player-to-player. Perhaps some have, but I doubt many national media heads have looked into the camera recently to say "I want to take a moment & admit that I was very very wrong about the trade that brought Sabonis to Sac Town....I, & many of us, were very very wrong, & I apologize to the Kings & their great fans. I will now flog myself on live television...someone please count me down from 100."
everything you said is correct, but it shouldn't be surprising given the amount of them said GS would never win again. Their egos too big to say they were wrong.
Sabonis is a proven superstar that doesnt get the credit he deserves. Hes been putting up numbers on playoff teams for years in Indy. Hes only gunna get better
The biggest thing you're not mentioning is the how much Fox has changed in crunch time. His decision making and skills have improved. A year ago, Fox and Haliburton were going 2 diff directions. Fox play has helped Domas a ton. The roster has improved overall (especially shooting), and coach Brown has helped. I don't think many people expected Fox to make the leap that he did, but Domas was well regarded. Tyrese had a strong trajectory and the Kings messed up draft picks and this guy is a gem
I really thought both teams won in this trade, but Mike Brown just makes the difference tbh, as an assitant coach for the warriors, he saw what it takes to win and implemented it well in Sacramento imo, because after the trade the kings still weren't as solid as their are now (ofc they need to build up syngery and get to know each other etc.)
Great analysis dude - keep the vids coming! Sabonis is the MOST UNDERRATED player in the NBA (if not the most in the top 3) - shout out to SGA & Buddy H.
I am a kings fan since they moved to Sacramento , I didn't enjoy moving Haliburton, but didn't understand the hate towards the trade. It's not like Sabonis was a 33 year old center that was past his prime... Sabonis is in his mid-twenties going into his prime and already a 2 time all-star. Also the logic made sense, as Fox and Haliburton skill sets weren't clicking on the court. My thoughts at the time was they got Sabonis, because they believed his skill set would mesh better with Sabonis, which it did. One of the few trades I can think of almost a year later and both teams would still make the trade ..Also based on the age and current construction, I really think they are just a move or two away from being looked at as a possible contender.
it's because he's a white euro. stupid American fans love their overrated dime a dozen guards. you could easily make a all euro team and that would best an all American team every year.
3rd in the west. We are a contender baby!!! Murray had 29 and 14 two games ago. If Murray can average anywhere near that we are gon win the ship. That, and if Malik can replicate his early season play.
ESPN wasn't entirely wrong. They added Huerter & Monk and drafted Keegan Murray which has honestly been the biggest difference. Let's not forget coach Mike Brown who has been great. They were 5-10 in games Sabonis played in last season. Yes, Sabonis is and Allstar and has been phenomenal so far, but they have really good role players this year hence why they are winning.
Stop bringing up the fact that they went 5-10 last season. Even if we had the same players at the end of last season still on this team, the Kings would be great! Fox and Sabonis didn't have much time to form chemistry last season. Didn't have many off days and add in the fact that both missed games down the stretch of last year. Once they got familiar with each others game over the summer, things got so much better. Both would just have to score more if Kings didn't better their lineup
Because they weren't running anything last year when Sabonis got there. The coaching staff had their feet half way through the door. Then Sabonis got hurt, Fox had some lingering injuries and they shut down the Kings early and see what else they had on the roster when Mitchell baller out.. The fact is Huerter and Murray are shooting a lot better because of Fox and Sabonis. You add any shooter to this roster and they'll do a lot better due to the amount of attention both Fox an Sabonis get. ESPN were definitely wrong. Barnes are now hitting his stride is playing the best basketball he ever had in the last month. Monk is the only having a slump, but it won't last long, he was a 6th man candidate till the slump. Murray also had a slump early, and now leads all rookies at 3pt% and is on pace to break Mitchell's all time 3pt made as a rookie As a 5th option! No one thought Murray would be this lights out behind the arc and fyi, Murray has been shooting at 45+% behind the arc since December. Fox is the best clutch player in the league and it's his award to lose, while Huerter is also a top 10 in clutch moments. If kings can add another rebounder odd the bench and dan box out, Kings would easily jump in defensive stats. ESPN were wrong and still wont admit it.
@@joshdrenth4526 I'll break it down for you. Huerter/Monk/Murray combined: 41.1 PPG 9.9 RPG 7.7 APG 45% FG 38.3% 3Pt FG 82% FT This is with over 50% of their shot attempts coming from behind the arc.
@@blowc1612 idk man, I feel like you just helped my point. 1. It goes the other way too. If Huerter/Monk/Murray aren't hitting shots, it really shrinks the floor for Sabonis/Fox making it harder for them. That's 41.1ppg of 45% FG/38% 3FG from you 4th, 5th, & 6th best players. Any team team in the league will take that. Give these guys more credit. Fox, Sabonis and the Kings in general would not be having as great of a season without the contribution of these guys and Mike Brown. 2. Significantly better coaching this year. Again, I'm not taking anything away from Fox or Sabonis, I just don't think that ESPN is entirely wrong. The offseason moves by this front office is what helped save this team, adding a great coach and players that compliment both Sabonis and Fox. I don't see guys like Trey Lyles and Davion Mitchell playing as much as they did last year, or Justin Holiday. Mo Harkless and Jeremy Lamb aren't even in the league anymore. Everyone deals with injuries. Just look at the Warriors, Suns, Clippers, Pelicans, Wolves and even the Grizzlies have had key players miss a good chunk of time this year.
@@chandrapaulsingh6507 I mean by numbers alone Fox and Sabonis don't have a significant boost in regards to their Pts, Rebound and assist per game. Fox literally was putting 28-4.5-7 stat line after the trade and Sabonis was around 18-10-6. Which proves you wrong. Kings could had gotten other shooters and they would had excel as much as Huerter and Murray next to Sabonis and Fox. Mike Brown just implemented a system that fit Fox and Sabonis so well AND THE MAIN REASON BROWN LEFT. Look at the other GSW coach, after winning a other title, he decided to stay over taking the Hornets job after he had agreed to do so. Brown most likely stayed at GSW if it wasn't for Kings having Fox and Sabonis. A lot of coaches wanted this job due to both players and also it would be a career boost to be the one to coach the Kings back into the playoffs, but coaches wouldn't had come without Fox and Sabonis.
Great video for basketball nerds. Basketball nerds are aware of the Kings. Podcast have been talking about them all year. Another team that casuals think suck but are promising are the Thunder.
I really liked the trade at the time for both teams. It seemed fair and still does. An allstar center in Sabonis for a rising young pg in Haliburton when you already have a rising young pg in Fox and you also give up an elite shooter in buddy hield which makes sense to match contracts and since Sabonis is an allstar in his prime and Haliburton is still proving himself (which he since has). This is fair. The Kings quickly replaced Hield too by signing Huertor and Monk. Both younger as well. So you swapped Sabonis for Haliburton when you have Fox. Good trade. Won't speak on Indiana since it was always agreed it was a good trade for them.
So JJ, as a guard, are you embarrased that a center Domas has more assists in a month than you ever had in a complete season! Sabonis 20/13/8 this season. League leader in Double-Doubles and Triple doubles. How many DD or TD did you have. ( you can count yours from Middle School, High School, College and as a journeyman player who was in the league.
If the Kings can somehow get one more top tier player and a lock down defender, ala Doug Christie, they could do what the Nuggets have done in the future.
The Sabonis trade was just one piece to the puzzle, and media types couldn't see far enough to understand that. Ultimately Fox, Mitchell & Haliburton was never going to work out. Trading Fox would reset the entire team around the younger Haliburton & Mitchell. Trading Mitchell wouldn't have brought much in return. Haliburton was the ticket to an All Star level player to pair with Fox and get the team in position to compete in the mid-term. I wonder if in the end this won't be similar to the Kawhi Leonard for George Hill trade that Indiana-San Antonio made years ago. That trade was basically a win-win. Kawhi got to go and develop for 4-5 years till he was ready to lead a team on his own, while George Hill brought stability and leadership to a team that was competing for a title.
To be fair Reddick said they needed to upgrade their shooting around Fox and Sabonis. At the time they didn’t have Monk or Huerter. Kings did a good job this last offseason balancing the team around its new Duo.
What is there to be fair about? You ever watched a kings game especially the 4th quarter… Fox can definitely shoot he’s a undersized speedy guard, what else besides dribbling & passing would he do? JJ was a role player calling a franchise PG “unable to shoot” 😂
@@joelbergsma7019 Bro your a box score watcher he doesn’t launch that many 3s. His MIDRANGE shot is lethal and big amount of his Pts. Everyone just goes to espn to check shooting splits maybe search a shot chart or watch king’s basketball like a full game
@@drnobody1006 Yup…. Fox is shooting 47.1% from mid-range this year on high volume compared to the league average 42% . He’s also finishing 73.3% at the rim. He’s efficient this year. Sabonis is the 3rd most efficient player in the league in terms of players taking at least 10 FGA a game. If Fox played in the 90’s or 2000’s, no one would be complaining about his 32% but because he’s in an era where so many players chuck 3’s, people will nitpick. Kings have the #1 offense in the league so obviously he’s doing something wrong. I’d much rather Fox play his style and only take 5 a game at 32% than to try and he Jordan Poole chucking up a 8 a game at a 32% clip 🥶
non assisted passing doesn't show up on stat sheets and DS is one of the top 3-5 passing centers and this amplifies what an offense does. Of course this also means the Kings players around him know how to move off the ball so he can make the passes to them.
You can't underlook the addition of Keegan Murray who's been huge for the Kings. They also picked up Kevin Huerter, it's not Sabonis alone, they built well around him and Fox. I still like the trade more for the Pacers and it makes sense with their direction, they go younger and still remain around the play-in spot.
You're not wrong about ESPN, but I do believe that the point you're making is not fully correct either. This trade could've looked worse for the Kings, but their offseason moves are actually what changed things. The Kings after they traded for Sabonis went 10-16 in their games with him, which is a win percentage of 38.6%. Before Sabonis, they were 20-36, which is a winning percentage of 35.7%. Not too much of a difference there. As you said in the video, the key issue with this team was that they were not effective from deep, but the Kings front office addressed that issues over the summer. First they drafted Keegan Murray, who has been a great player for this team. Shooting 40% from 3 while attempting 6 3pa is great for spacing the floor for a team headlined by two players who aren't known for hitting the three. They also signed Malik Monk and trade for Kevin Huerter. Both known shooters who can help space the floor even more. On top of all that, they hired Mike Brown as their head coach. Brown has changed the culture in Sacramento and is one of the top candidates for Coach of the Year. The moves made by the front office that followed the Sabonis trade are what have made the Kings the success they are today and shows that they had a plan to resolve the issues the team had before and after acquiring Sabonis. THANK YOU FOR READING MY TEDTALK! BEAM TEAM SUPREMACY!
Those Sabonis rookie cards i picked up 16 days ago are sitting nice and pretty right in front of me. Don't get it twisted, without raw Shaq esque power or unusual Durant handles, seldom ever seen on jerseys that don't bear those names themself, this elite big man just stood as a "pretty solid tall guy" and was on the road behind so many other criminally underrated big men. It's unfair to assume that fans would think otherwise, as entertainment stands as the critical driving force for a majority that does not tune in the entire season until the final round of playoffs. Join me fellow diamond hands.
Sabonis dad Arvydas was so much better. Would have been easily top 3 bigs all time had he not torn both his achilles (on one leg I believe he tore it twice) amongst other injuries AND was allowed to leave his country in his youth. Anyone who thinks otherwise can do research on him in his teens. Man was 7'3", dribbled and passed like Magic, had a good shot and a serious hook shots! Man came into NBA battered and bruised in his 30s. 30s! And still had good outings. You can catch him in his youth in an English narrated version of Lithuanian basketball (only place I could find footage of him in his youth) and of course, "The Other Dream Team" which I would highly recommend for any basketball fan to watch who loves a good story of an underdog. There you could also see him play but the footage isn't as extensive as in the other video. Only after research would I even entertain mockery or an argument about what I've stated. :) thanks and God bless!
The kings team this year and the kings team last year are 2 totally different teams. Jj had every right to say that about last year's kings team. The pieces they gave away vs. the piecs they got back did not improve that years team at all. It was what they did in the off-season that changed everything. The addition of monk and heurter drastically fixed what that trade gave away. The the kings also drafted murray which further fixed the trade. Then there's what should be this seasons coach of the year in Mike brown. I can tell your a kings fan, but this video really does a disservice to the amazing job you gm did this past off-season.
Just look at the market months after the trade, teams were trading 3 picks and 2 swaps! Murray was one time all star and they gave up way more than the Kings did for Sabonis. Look at the Wolves! Looking at the TRADE MARKET, Kings FLEECED the Pacers due to the fact we didn't give away a pick for an all star player.
It's a Win-Win for the Pacers and the Kings. We got Tyrese, who is a franchise leader in the making for us, and the Kings got Sabonis. I'm happy that he is playing great there, and dissapointed that he won't be an All-Star
You can't blame ESPN for thinking the Kings botched this trade. The front office had been a disaster since 2004. What nobody noticed was that the Kings' front office really turned it around. Sabonis was disrespected by ESPN after this trade, but what few realized was how badly the Pacers misused him. The Kings' front office recognized this and went out and got him. Immediately after the trade, the roster WAS unbalanced. They didn't have much shooting. You can't blame ESPN for assuming that the (in recent memory) disastrously bad front office (despite new a new team in place) would probably revert to mean and continue to be terrible. I assumed that they didn't have a plan in place. Glad I was wrong, too! The Kings' front office recognized how badly Kevin Huerter had been misused in Atlanta and got him. Same with Malik Monk in Charlotte and L.A.. The front office has been crushing it for a year straight. They have surprisingly good balance and a deep roster whose talents are being used optimally. Kudos to the coaching staff for putting everyone in position to make best use of their abilities and complement one another. A master class in how to rebuild.
Even the King's GM would be shocked at how well things have turned out. The trade seemed odd, but it worked. Everyone is happy for the King's, many pundits want Sabonis and Fox in the All Star game. This isn't a grudge story, it's a feel good story.
Athleticism, toughness, mindset, playmaking, bball iq is from his dad. And thats enough to be an all star. Just imagine Domas with Arvydas's height, wingspan, slightly better shooting and flair of passes...
im confused.. what was this video supposed to prove? The trade wasnt that bad for the kings? lol ur totally disregarding the future trades and moves the kings made after getting sabonis. Their shooting wasnt questioned after they traded for huerter and drafted murray. And u only talked about offense in this video. No one questions sabonis's offensive skills. But theres no doubt he sucks on defense and no team wants this guy to protect their paint. The kings statistically are a bottom 10 defense and have limited ways to fix that problem as long as sabonis plays at center. They are currently 8th in record and arguably worse than teams like the clippers and pelicans who have injuries but should be healthy by the playoffs. Theres nothing to flex about what theyre currently doing. As for the future, they do have good young players, but they traded a GREAT young player in haliburton which was still a bad move.
I absolutely adore Haliburton, but it was either him or Fox and there’s no way Indiana would’ve made this trade for Fox. Never understood the backlash the Kings got though.
I’m glad you made this video because I posted a comment on the espn video lambasting the kings…”make it make sense, make it make sense!”…I explained that two ball-dominant guards couldn’t co-exist, especially as Fox doesn’t play off-ball and Haliburton is best with ball in hand (as evidenced in Indiana). As there was no serious market for Fox at the time, Hali had to go. The offence when they were on the court was “my turn, your turn”, which we saw with Cunningham and Ivey with zero success, and to some degree with Mitchell and Garland (Cavs had the same problem with Garland and Sexton), etc you can go the list of teams with similar issues past and present. Anyway, the rationale was so obvious in terms of fit, I lost all respect for Redick and the others that chimed in. They’re really all about ratings and pushing the same old narratives and cliches that is not insightful.
Yup its just lazy "journalism" these "experts" watch/follow only a few high profile teams and or players but come at you like they have the pulse on the WHOLE league. They dont
The simple answer to why this trade worked out for the Kings is that they didn't need two ball dominant guards who cannibalized each other's production. They needed to go with Fox or Haliburton and they choose Fox. They are both absolute ballers but there was only so much room for both. The trade maximizes Fox's potential while also adding an allstar big that doesn't need the ball in his hands.
Good for SAC fans. It’s been a very long time since they had a solid team put together. Considering when I first started watching basketball (early 2000’s) they were stacked. Happy to see it.
In my fantasy ball league, Sabonis has been a sought after baller for the last 4 years at least. I actually drafted him in the first round this year with the 11th pick. Felt I got a steal there. Dude has been slaying it for the kings. He's having his best season yet and does it all. Dude is up there with the best players in the league.
Tyrese Haliburton is doing at least as well as Sabonis. Both teams won this trade. Though it Sabonis could have been gotten for Fox, it would be a different story.
The issue most people had with the trade wasn't bashing on Sabonis it was the fact SAC traded Haliburton and not Fox. Fox's career trajectory seemed to be going backwards while Haliburton is already a star in his second season. A small guard who can't shoot and isn't a huge assist guy is a real problem as defense and spacing will always be an issue. His 3 point shooting going backwards is a little unforgiveable given how many players come into the league without a jumper and are good to great shooters by their prime. So yeah the Kings are better today, the Fox/Haliburton fit wasn't great and Sabonis is an all star in his prime, but Haliburton is probably already better then Fox and will be making an ALL NBA team in his second season and likely for years to come. That caliber of player is virtually never traded that early into their career. So while the Kings are having a nice season it's likelier than not that Haliburton ends up making them regret this trade.
i think they were trying to trade fox instead but the pacers didnt want to take his and buddy's huge contracts and the kings really wanted sabonis. eitherways im glad we kept fox lol haliburton cant take over the way fox does.
@@ekebezu I imagine you're right that they couldn't get the same return for Fox, though I still don't think that justifies trading an all NBA player in their second year. You just get what you can for Fox and build around Haliburton, Murray and the pieces you get back for Fox. Idk about that man. Haliurton can't score as well as Fox yet but he definitely impacts the game at least as much. If you polled every NBA gm on who they would rather have its a unanimous Haliburton. Fox probably won't ever be an all NBA player and Haliburton is going to be one in his second season... I do love the team though they're super fun I hope they do well in the playoffs. If they can make or win the Finals I will be proven wrong.
I thought the King's and Pacers trade was a win win for both sides. The King's needed to pair Sabonis with Fox which is a great fit, and the Pacers needed a young star to start over.
Who actually takes what the media says seriously? Reddick said it himself. They know some of these players on a personal level and can use their media presence to lobby for their friends still in the league. The NBA media is a joke.
The addition of huerter helped the kings a lot! Drafting that rookie also helped them .. jj was right shooting was there problem but with those 2 additions solve that
More of holding Sabonis back playing a system that didn't utilized Sabonis. They did a lot of PnR with Turner at the corner. Sabonis is miles better playing at the high post as a read option player.
Traded Hali and Buddy for a whole new culture with real direction. A new HC who brought in a whole new coaching staff of his choice. Lost one great 3 point shooter for 5 consistently good 3 point shooters. Fox completely elevated his 3 point shooting (he has a higher 3PT% than Trae Young currently) and his decision making in the clutch over the off-season. Sabonis is basically a much more talented, taller, & stronger Draymond Green in our offense as he more or less runs our offense like the PG with screens, handoffs & passing.
Painfully shortsighted analysis as if Sabonis was traded straight up for Haliburton, that time stopped, no other moves were made by either team, no one filled the void left by whomever moved teams in this trade, no players developed and / or took on larger roles, etc and presto, the Kings are in 1st in the Pacific at this point therefore everyone was wrong about the trade.
"Building around two non shooters with non shooters." Sure didn't look that way the other night when they hit 12 threes in the first quarter. This might just be the somewhat rare occurrence where BOTH teams won the trade.
While we were enamored with Hali’s skillset the Kings knew what they NEEDED. Very impressed, i was honestly rooting for them to win the wemby sweepstakes in preseason but thats way out the door now lmao
You'd think these "pros" would think about fit and spacing a little bit before spouting their hot takes. Unfortunate they usually aren't held accountable for these goofy narratives.
ESPN hated Indiana. Domas was playing out of his mind there, it just sucks that both Sabonis and Myles play the same position. Both teams won, I said it when the trade happened.
The reason why the kings offense is so good is not solely due to the sabonis addition. they added 3 40% 3 point shooters in Keegan, Kevin, and Malik (down year but he can easily pick it up). without them the offense wouldnt be half of what it is.
If you watch the games you know that when sabonis on the floor the offense is great and without him on the floor thee offense looks average. So.. Yes those were important additions but sabonis stirs the drink
Sac knew you could find shooters in free agency, but not a dynamic center. Indy has no vision year after year. They stack players at the same positions. They hung on to Hield too long now his value dropped. Same with Turner. They function as a handout team in order to stay under the lux. tax and gave up Brogdon to the #1 seed conference rival for role players nobody wanted and horrible end of 1st round pick. Utah got a better return for Royce O'Neal! They broke rule #1 of trading. Never help your Conf./Div. rival when they are on top. Haliburton is nice, #1 in assists and All Star, but Pacers don't compete. Everybody looks like they want to be somewhere else. Sac meanwhile plays hungry and is looking to end playoff drought despite being in NBA small market purgatory.
The main argument is that Haliburton is a franchise changing player while Sabonis is a piece. Of course a great piece to have but you are not winning just bc of him. Haliburton was carrying a projected 30 win Pacers team to the 4 seed before he got hurt. Now the Pacers have lost 7 of 8 without him.
It's satisfying to watch someone highlight JJ's take on the trade. When he started as an analyst, I really liked him because of his straightforward approach but as the season progressed, I started to hate his takes as some if not most are just plain wrong. Well at least he is still not like Skip, Shannon, Nick and Colin.
I was jealous of the kings when they got Sabonis. I have watched Sabonis for the last few years and when everyone overreacted at that trade, I was shocked
The amount of dis for Domas is crazy. Shows exactly what's wrong with the NBA and media around it these days. No longer is a great player worth talking about, it's more about the side circus and flash then the game itself.
I remember this trade happening & my main thought was this. Sabonis was a great player & a great acquisition but them giving up Buddy & halliburton was too much. halliburton wanting to be on the team & make it something great was my main concern. You had a guy who wanted to be a lifer with the King's, or at least be someone who wanted to stay for the foreseeable future. I doubt Sabonis would want to stay if another team came calling with a similar offer when his contract expires. I think the majority of people respected Sabonis's skills, but thought losing halliburton was bad for them long term.
As a lithuanian myself, I can advocate for most of us being very humble, proud in where we are and giving it all to something that is relies on us. And as I've seen many times already, he is a man that lives by these values, don't be surprised when he stays there for the rest of his career if he doesn't get traded again.
I know non kings fans are shocked by this, but that is more common than you would think. Cousins cried when he got traded, Hali cried when he got traded, dearron fox has stated multiple times he loves sac and wants to stay and win here that it would be more special to him than to win anywhere else. Most the early 2000 kings guys kept houses and stayed living here after and are still part of the org. Sac isn’t as bad as people like to pretend. Think the majority of kings fans would have given buddy up for a bag of peanuts, he got boo’d for a reason. Good shooter, but easily one of the dumbest players I have ever had to watch. I think getting rid of buddy plus Marvin and his pops were huge boosts to locker room chemistry and culture
@@iillestrs2153 Buddy had -5 IQ in Sacramento and did many things to make it appear he did not want to play here, especially behind Fox who was ball dominant. I feel like now that he’s on the Pacers he’s realized he’s not a top 3 player on any team and can’t shoot the ball on every possession, and its helped him a bit. Wish he coulda realized that here though lol
As far as Hield, they had to add someone to make the money work. Beyond that, he made it very clear he didn't want to be there. He offers nothing bedside his three point game. Sabonis seems pretty damn happy there. He's winning a lot more then he did in Indiana. Obviously time will tell. By the same token, Not sure why everyone assumes Haliburton is going to stay forever. We'll see.. M
I'm a fan of J.J. Redick, but if we're being honest, his prediction of Domantas Sabonis "not moving the needle" for Sacramento was perhaps his most epic fail as a broadcaster. Still gonna watch his show, but damn, he couldn't have been more wrong. 🤦
People also don’t understand that Saboner is only 26, been in the league 7 years and is a prolific 18 and 10 guy. Kings had to make a decision of Fox or Haliburton since both were good enough to start, and Mitchell just got drafted the year before Haliburton so it’s not like backup PG was in need either. Picking the better of the 2 scorers, and then pairing him with the second best passing big in the game really UNLOCKED the King’s system in a way that literally wasn’t previously possible. At the time of the trade I was way mad, hindsight, I was completely wrong and this will probably go down as one of the fairest trades in NBA history. Everyone won🔥
You only need to watch Sabonis 3 minutes to see he's an absolute baller.
Nerds don’t like him because he can’t block shots that’s the whole issue
@@koby2995 nerds don't like him cuz he's not American and dominating in the NBA
They don’t like him because he’s white. White players aren’t allowed to even try to block shots or the whistle blows.
@@123shotas That's cute because they seem to love Lauri Markkanen
@@123shotas straight nonsense.
Finally someone talking about it. It’s ridiculous how little coverage he got
Anybody that knows how nice Papa Sabonis was shouldn’t be surprised at all by how good his kid is. One of the most skilled bigs ever.
Yeap, one of the great bigs!
Facts
He taught his boy how to pass...too bad we only saw his dad after the injuries.
Ah yes, I remember the duels with Sabonis and Shaq. Great times
For real. As a Blazers fan I remember watching Sabonis as a kid. It was at the end of his career, he was very slow, but could still dish out insane passes. Hoping the best for his son. Hopefully he has a long great career
It’s the pieces like huerter, monk and Murray that also helped tremendously
Credit to GM for getting those pieces that fit and Coach for getting them to buy into a role
Huerter and Monk have fill the void at SG left by Hillibron
Mike brown as well
terrence davis
Monk at first. Not so much now.
this is why they should be called former players and not EXPERTS
no no hes an expert for sure. his analysis on his youtube channel is better then 99% of espn / nba youtubers analysis. actually discussing coaching schemes setups tactics instead of just reactionary opinion garbage thats common online.
His analysis wasn't that great. There was no mention of Huerter, Monk, Murray or coach Mike Brown. Sabonis and Fox are a big reason they are winning, but there should be a LOT more credit for the role players and coach they added in the offseason.
It honestly feels like these guys only watch the highlights and then check up on some weird season stats, during the week
@@chandrapaulsingh6507 yeah but jj said that last year before a bu ch of those guys were there. So its impossible to mention them
But then he was right about plumbers.
The NBA is addicted to highlight real players. Guys like Iverson and Carter who have cool cross overs and have nice dunks. Even tho those aren't the players that go on to win titles
Carter suffered from injuries and didn’t play on a contender
Lol you couldn't name any more recent examples?
Iverson hasn't played for ~15 years and Vince, although retired only a couple of years ago, hasn't been a "cool crossover and nice dunks" kinda guy for about the same
Remind me again who won the last 2 MVPs and is the front runner for this year's ??? Nothing flash about that guy.
TIKTOK GENERATION
@@dougsmith1005
Melo
LeBron
KD
Kyrie
Steph
SGA
LaMelo
Lonzo
saw this guy play in Denver a few years back on the Pacers. He was absolutely cooking on the floor. Not flashy but consistent!
To be fair JJ Redick was spot on. Only reason it’s working rn with the kings is because they surrounded fox & sabonis with straight shooters. Huerter. Keegan Murray. Malik monk. Complement them PERFECTLY.
What JJ said technically made sense, but the Kings GM making moves to get Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter fixed all the problems he talked about. The Kings are LEGIT
he underated Sabonis tremendously how it make sense?
@@butch5419 Sabonis' incredible playmaking on offense doesn't work if no one can hit a 3, I'm just being generous here
JJ does not make sense...Sacramento's weakness is the frontcourt and trading one of Fox or Haliburton is the right choice
Kind of funny that The Kings acquired a 25 year old, two time all star with no injury or off the court issues and were looked at that they were absolutely robbed in the trade, lol.
Clearly not robbed but they did give a franchise changing player for a really good big. Typically that is not a long term winning move. Haliburton is having a better season than Sabonis. Haliburton 20/10/4 on 48%/88%/40% shooting. Also just 2.6 TOs per game. Sabonis 18/12/7 on 61%/75%/37% shooting. But averages a full half turnover more per game while handling the ball way less.
@@mpzurlino Hali’s numbers are inflated right now due to being the only real scoring and play making option on a mid team. Also you’re comparing two guys from positions that are exact opposites from one another?
@@mpzurlino He leads the league in rebounding. He's been top ten in assists all year. He's the best passing big man in the league after Jokic. If you watch the Kings you'll see how much he handles the ball. Regardless, my point was EVERYBODY ripped this trade as not just the Kings losing the trade, but this was seen as a historically bad trade
@@THEOsu-bu1sy The irony is Haliburtons best asset is his passing, while Sabonis is also a great passer. People still seem to think that there's a giant age difference where in reality Sabonis is three years older then him
I always found it weird that even after seeing what Sabonis did in Indiana with his rebounding and passing (which showed that what he did in college well translated over), people still underrate him and his skillset. Even with similar sorts of players dominating recently, he still "doesn't move the needle". I think part of that was due to the twin towers experiments in Indiana, where they really had two centers and while spacing wise it was alright, Sabonis isn't that quick and isn't going to jump out of the gym so maching up with modern power forwards and small forwards wasn't realistic. But even with that, he had shown really good efficency inside, really good (and willing) passing and elite rebounding, the sort of big man I would suspect most teams would want, so why people think that wouldn't move the needle would be weird.
Didn't meet "the eye test", not sure what that means, but I have a few ideas.
@@kennethmatney9622 stop it. anyone who plays his style of ball gets called boring, regardless of any other factors, it’s clearly about ball and not what you’re implying. I don’t even agree with it, I think he’s an awesome player, but don’t try to make this something it’s not. Reveals more about how you see the world than it does about anyone else.
@@kennethmatney9622 nice attempt at playing coy though , 🐶 whistle much?
@@yurinoworry LOL what? I was thinking international?!?!? what is even going on right now. I think it may say more about your world view, turn the TV off, go outside, socialize and chill, it works wonders lol. wow
@@yurinoworry Same reason that Jokic, Doncic, Sengun, and many others were underrated and passed up by a lot of teams, they are international players that are not that athletic and appear slow on TV, not that exciting for USA basketball. But I guess if you view everything from a western perspective you see it in other ways. Good luck with that, seems to be going fine the great USA lol.
agreed the sabonis disrespect is peak bspn hating on small market team players who aren't "superstars"
he's been absolutely amazing for the kings and playing hurt. nothing but respect for him.
OKC Thunder fan here. I know that Sabonis is part of how we ended up with SGA (and I'm certainly glad we did) but I have hated having to let him go from the moment we traded him. Sure wish we still had him but I hope he continues to prove his detractors wrong.
Nets fan but absolute basketball junkie, could only imagine how it felt to see a young sabonis in the making, definitely can tell he was special. I remember that team lol with young dipo after being traded from Orlando
Clippers should have kept SGA. I said it at the time.
I imagine the OKC could have made deals where they have Sabonis. That dude would be killing it with them with all those players that move without the ball and pass as well.
How do I say this we didn’t see the Sabonis we do now when he was in okc. Kind of like Sga on the clippers situation.
@@drnobody1006 yep exactly. So people saying it hurt them seeing Sabo go are completely out of their minds, if they believe that. Sabo was not being utilized whatsoever when he was in OKC. He did not fit that system and just simply couldn't figure it out his first year in the league. rewind a year later, on the Pacers and under a system that most definitely played to his strengths, etc. Dipo as well. You Thunder fans can all thank Westbrook for all the stars, potential, y'all had on your teams throughout the years that only blossomed the moment they were traded to diff teams or signed elsewhere. Js 👀
Tyrese is great young player, but a highly intelligent offensive center like Sabonis is simply better fit for de'Aaron Fox. Also there is a question of timeline. Fox is 25, Sabonis 26, Huerter 24, Mitchell 24, Murray 22. None is super young and only Barnes is slightly older 30.
The fit was fox and Hali was questionable to me. I highly doubt hali would’ve been that good if he wasn’t traded to a team like the pacers.
@@tj5180 Halibitter is more of a half court slow offense with a lot of PnR and ball handling for Halibitter while Fox game was more fast pace, a lot of freedom and read base off defense. Sabonis is perfect for Fox style.
@@blowc1612 I don't know, but some may disagree with me, but (De'Aaron Fox) also has disadvantages in the offense, sometimes he really plays the ball too long in the offense and as a result loses it, there were such matches where the result could have been equalized or even prevailed and won the match but the ball was lost, let's hope he learns from these mistakes.
The Sacramento Kings offensive players need to play more and faster through D. Sabonis, because Sabonis attracts many players of the opposing team to him, and after passing the ball to the perimeter of the three-point zone, the snipers of the Kings team attack quite accurately.
As far as I noticed, a lot has changed in the team this year, which is only good, because now the team is where it is.
@@blowc1612 why are you calling him Halibitter
@@futurehofer1564because he obviously a kings fan and Haliburton just bashed the franchise recently.
Kings won the trade
They both won if anything. Both teams got better.
Kings should not sleep on their laurels. There is a lot of work left to do to rebuild the reputation. They are certainly on the right track.
As for Sabonis, not many know, his dad, a hall of famer, was slow to grow up. So he used to play point guard position. That made him good in passing. I am sure Arvydas and Domas have talked about this a lot.
Kings just focused on making the playoffs this year. They need to know how this roster will do in the playoffs. They have the rights to the best Euroleague player and has a high chance coming this off season, adding another shooter would speed the floor even more
Kings will have cap space this coming off season, Kings has their 1st round picks except for 2024. Kings are so ahead of schedule it's insane, that I guarantee they're contenders next off season.
@@blowc1612 Thank you! I did not know all this. As long as Kings win I am satisfied. Yes, it makes sense to be methodical and first get into playoffs. The team is young. As for what many say that a small market, that did not stop San Antonio. Go Kings!
Yes. Arvydas used to be pointguard. Almost nobody knows this outside Lithuania.
his dad is one of best Europien players in history. No doubt about it.
@@gulinp1 Nobody doubts about that. FIBA gave him the award.
As a Kings fan since they moved here, thank you sir for this video. It's crucial to look back in time a bit & hold responsible those in the national media who were adamant that this was a horribly irresponsible trade for the Kings. I thought the worst example was the Jalen & Jacoby show, who said something like the NBA needs to investigate this trade & should have prevented it from going forward because it was so shockingly one sided, & that sort of unprofessional malfeasance cannot stand...heads need to roll, etc. They, & everyone, were right about Hali....but that was the entire point, that's why such a young player was able to be traded for an All Star center who the Kings could run their entire offense thru, while freeing up Fox to be the dominator & clutch scorer/defender he's meant to be. Hali is great, but Sabonis is just a better fit on this team, & even more impactful than Hali player-to-player. Perhaps some have, but I doubt many national media heads have looked into the camera recently to say "I want to take a moment & admit that I was very very wrong about the trade that brought Sabonis to Sac Town....I, & many of us, were very very wrong, & I apologize to the Kings & their great fans. I will now flog myself on live television...someone please count me down from 100."
everything you said is correct, but it shouldn't be surprising given the amount of them said GS would never win again. Their egos too big to say they were wrong.
I do wonder if there are some biases there.
@Jimbo Jimbo This made me smile double Jimbo...don't fret, readin' ain't all that great a skill anyhow.
Sabonis is a proven superstar that doesnt get the credit he deserves. Hes been putting up numbers on playoff teams for years in Indy. Hes only gunna get better
Sabonis on that Chris Webber type beat
The biggest thing you're not mentioning is the how much Fox has changed in crunch time. His decision making and skills have improved. A year ago, Fox and Haliburton were going 2 diff directions. Fox play has helped Domas a ton. The roster has improved overall (especially shooting), and coach Brown has helped. I don't think many people expected Fox to make the leap that he did, but Domas was well regarded. Tyrese had a strong trajectory and the Kings messed up draft picks and this guy is a gem
Miss haliburton but I know we made a great trade. Gives fox more space to move and a good big that weve desperately needed for years since boogie left
I really thought both teams won in this trade, but Mike Brown just makes the difference tbh, as an assitant coach for the warriors, he saw what it takes to win and implemented it well in Sacramento imo, because after the trade the kings still weren't as solid as their are now (ofc they need to build up syngery and get to know each other etc.)
I always thought it was blasphemous that people called it a robbery
Great analysis dude - keep the vids coming! Sabonis is the MOST UNDERRATED player in the NBA (if not the most in the top 3) - shout out to SGA & Buddy H.
I think mike brown also deserves credit for the way he’s implemented a motion offense like the warriors, where sabonis plays the role of Draymond
Plays nothing like draymond
Ya he does.. not in a defensive term but as a point forward
Sabonis is exceptional in that role
@@nickjcirillo a big man they run the ball through on offense to get guys open…. Pretty much all Draymond does on offense you sound dumb
@@smokinjodak9844 he’s the second scoring option and doesn’t play defense like draymond.
Bad take my friend
Best player ?
DeAaron Fox would have something to say about that.
To say Fox can’t shoot is just silly.
Sabonis moved the needle for the kings 89% more than all of Luka's teammates for the Mavs in the last 4 years.....
Of course the plumber of his generation (Reddick) would say that
The Plummer of his generation is fucking funny
These so called new media dudes are 🗑
well at least reddick has admitted he was wrong about the kings on his podcast recently
@@tdup191 Both are good now and he knows that it worked.
Nahhhh thats wild😭
I am a kings fan since they moved to Sacramento , I didn't enjoy moving Haliburton, but didn't understand the hate towards the trade.
It's not like Sabonis was a 33 year old center that was past his prime... Sabonis is in his mid-twenties going into his prime and already a 2 time all-star. Also the logic made sense, as Fox and Haliburton skill sets weren't clicking on the court. My thoughts at the time was they got Sabonis, because they believed his skill set would mesh better with Sabonis, which it did.
One of the few trades I can think of almost a year later and both teams would still make the trade ..Also based on the age and current construction, I really think they are just a move or two away from being looked at as a possible contender.
Twenty years later we will likely hear TV commentators that it might have been the most successful trade ever. Everyone got the better thing.
it's because he's a white euro. stupid American fans love their overrated dime a dozen guards. you could easily make a all euro team and that would best an all American team every year.
3rd in the west. We are a contender baby!!! Murray had 29 and 14 two games ago. If Murray can average anywhere near that we are gon win the ship. That, and if Malik can replicate his early season play.
@@MatthewCashew3 😂
@@MatthewCashew3 The Kings need to play way better defense if they are gonna win anything
To quote Charlie Murphy, "... that cat can ball!"
ESPN wasn't entirely wrong. They added Huerter & Monk and drafted Keegan Murray which has honestly been the biggest difference. Let's not forget coach Mike Brown who has been great. They were 5-10 in games Sabonis played in last season. Yes, Sabonis is and Allstar and has been phenomenal so far, but they have really good role players this year hence why they are winning.
Stop bringing up the fact that they went 5-10 last season. Even if we had the same players at the end of last season still on this team, the Kings would be great! Fox and Sabonis didn't have much time to form chemistry last season. Didn't have many off days and add in the fact that both missed games down the stretch of last year. Once they got familiar with each others game over the summer, things got so much better. Both would just have to score more if Kings didn't better their lineup
Because they weren't running anything last year when Sabonis got there. The coaching staff had their feet half way through the door. Then Sabonis got hurt, Fox had some lingering injuries and they shut down the Kings early and see what else they had on the roster when Mitchell baller out..
The fact is Huerter and Murray are shooting a lot better because of Fox and Sabonis. You add any shooter to this roster and they'll do a lot better due to the amount of attention both Fox an Sabonis get. ESPN were definitely wrong.
Barnes are now hitting his stride is playing the best basketball he ever had in the last month. Monk is the only having a slump, but it won't last long, he was a 6th man candidate till the slump. Murray also had a slump early, and now leads all rookies at 3pt% and is on pace to break Mitchell's all time 3pt made as a rookie As a 5th option! No one thought Murray would be this lights out behind the arc and fyi, Murray has been shooting at 45+% behind the arc since December.
Fox is the best clutch player in the league and it's his award to lose, while Huerter is also a top 10 in clutch moments.
If kings can add another rebounder odd the bench and dan box out, Kings would easily jump in defensive stats.
ESPN were wrong and still wont admit it.
@@joshdrenth4526 I'll break it down for you. Huerter/Monk/Murray combined:
41.1 PPG
9.9 RPG
7.7 APG
45% FG
38.3% 3Pt FG
82% FT
This is with over 50% of their shot attempts coming from behind the arc.
@@blowc1612 idk man, I feel like you just helped my point.
1. It goes the other way too. If Huerter/Monk/Murray aren't hitting shots, it really shrinks the floor for Sabonis/Fox making it harder for them. That's 41.1ppg of 45% FG/38% 3FG from you 4th, 5th, & 6th best players. Any team team in the league will take that. Give these guys more credit. Fox, Sabonis and the Kings in general would not be having as great of a season without the contribution of these guys and Mike Brown.
2. Significantly better coaching this year.
Again, I'm not taking anything away from Fox or Sabonis, I just don't think that ESPN is entirely wrong. The offseason moves by this front office is what helped save this team, adding a great coach and players that compliment both Sabonis and Fox. I don't see guys like Trey Lyles and Davion Mitchell playing as much as they did last year, or Justin Holiday. Mo Harkless and Jeremy Lamb aren't even in the league anymore.
Everyone deals with injuries. Just look at the Warriors, Suns, Clippers, Pelicans, Wolves and even the Grizzlies have had key players miss a good chunk of time this year.
@@chandrapaulsingh6507 I mean by numbers alone Fox and Sabonis don't have a significant boost in regards to their Pts, Rebound and assist per game. Fox literally was putting 28-4.5-7 stat line after the trade and Sabonis was around 18-10-6. Which proves you wrong. Kings could had gotten other shooters and they would had excel as much as Huerter and Murray next to Sabonis and Fox.
Mike Brown just implemented a system that fit Fox and Sabonis so well AND THE MAIN REASON BROWN LEFT. Look at the other GSW coach, after winning a other title, he decided to stay over taking the Hornets job after he had agreed to do so.
Brown most likely stayed at GSW if it wasn't for Kings having Fox and Sabonis. A lot of coaches wanted this job due to both players and also it would be a career boost to be the one to coach the Kings back into the playoffs, but coaches wouldn't had come without Fox and Sabonis.
Yeah JJ always wears his bias on his sleeve unfortunately😂
Tbh it’s hard listening to him. Ik a lot of people like him tho
I was there when he scored his career high against Utah and Donovan Mitchell. Had to get his jersey after the game! Dude is a beast super underrated
Great video bro!! Glad to see cowbell kingdom get some love! Light the dang beam!!!!
Great video for basketball nerds. Basketball nerds are aware of the Kings. Podcast have been talking about them all year. Another team that casuals think suck but are promising are the Thunder.
I really liked the trade at the time for both teams. It seemed fair and still does. An allstar center in Sabonis for a rising young pg in Haliburton when you already have a rising young pg in Fox and you also give up an elite shooter in buddy hield which makes sense to match contracts and since Sabonis is an allstar in his prime and Haliburton is still proving himself (which he since has). This is fair. The Kings quickly replaced Hield too by signing Huertor and Monk. Both younger as well. So you swapped Sabonis for Haliburton when you have Fox. Good trade. Won't speak on Indiana since it was always agreed it was a good trade for them.
I think everyone's mindset a year ago was what JJ said. It's wild how much can change in a year
So JJ, as a guard, are you embarrased that a center Domas has more assists in a month than you ever had in a complete season! Sabonis 20/13/8 this season. League leader in Double-Doubles and Triple doubles. How many DD or TD did you have. ( you can count yours from Middle School, High School, College and as a journeyman player who was in the league.
If the Kings can somehow get one more top tier player and a lock down defender, ala Doug Christie, they could do what the Nuggets have done in the future.
The Sabonis trade was just one piece to the puzzle, and media types couldn't see far enough to understand that. Ultimately Fox, Mitchell & Haliburton was never going to work out. Trading Fox would reset the entire team around the younger Haliburton & Mitchell. Trading Mitchell wouldn't have brought much in return. Haliburton was the ticket to an All Star level player to pair with Fox and get the team in position to compete in the mid-term.
I wonder if in the end this won't be similar to the Kawhi Leonard for George Hill trade that Indiana-San Antonio made years ago. That trade was basically a win-win. Kawhi got to go and develop for 4-5 years till he was ready to lead a team on his own, while George Hill brought stability and leadership to a team that was competing for a title.
To be fair Reddick said they needed to upgrade their shooting around Fox and Sabonis. At the time they didn’t have Monk or Huerter. Kings did a good job this last offseason balancing the team around its new Duo.
JJ Redick was dead wrong and biased.
What is there to be fair about? You ever watched a kings game especially the 4th quarter… Fox can definitely shoot he’s a undersized speedy guard, what else besides dribbling & passing would he do? JJ was a role player calling a franchise PG “unable to shoot” 😂
Yes I have. Fox shot 29% from three last years. Is up to 32% this. Has never been better than 32.
@@joelbergsma7019 Bro your a box score watcher he doesn’t launch that many 3s. His MIDRANGE shot is lethal and big amount of his Pts. Everyone just goes to espn to check shooting splits maybe search a shot chart or watch king’s basketball like a full game
@@drnobody1006 Yup…. Fox is shooting 47.1% from mid-range this year on high volume compared to the league average 42% . He’s also finishing 73.3% at the rim. He’s efficient this year.
Sabonis is the 3rd most efficient player in the league in terms of players taking at least 10 FGA a game.
If Fox played in the 90’s or 2000’s, no one would be complaining about his 32% but because he’s in an era where so many players chuck 3’s, people will nitpick. Kings have the #1 offense in the league so obviously he’s doing something wrong. I’d much rather Fox play his style and only take 5 a game at 32% than to try and he Jordan Poole chucking up a 8 a game at a 32% clip 🥶
non assisted passing doesn't show up on stat sheets and DS is one of the top 3-5 passing centers and this amplifies what an offense does. Of course this also means the Kings players around him know how to move off the ball so he can make the passes to them.
this guy talks with a similar cadence as the burger king foot lettuce video lmao
You can't underlook the addition of Keegan Murray who's been huge for the Kings. They also picked up Kevin Huerter, it's not Sabonis alone, they built well around him and Fox. I still like the trade more for the Pacers and it makes sense with their direction, they go younger and still remain around the play-in spot.
Even an even swap, Sabonis is the better game impact player. He's averaging a double double with higher numbers and more triple doubles.
Kings starters/bench are prolific 3point shooters aswell!!!
You're not wrong about ESPN, but I do believe that the point you're making is not fully correct either. This trade could've looked worse for the Kings, but their offseason moves are actually what changed things. The Kings after they traded for Sabonis went 10-16 in their games with him, which is a win percentage of 38.6%. Before Sabonis, they were 20-36, which is a winning percentage of 35.7%. Not too much of a difference there. As you said in the video, the key issue with this team was that they were not effective from deep, but the Kings front office addressed that issues over the summer. First they drafted Keegan Murray, who has been a great player for this team. Shooting 40% from 3 while attempting 6 3pa is great for spacing the floor for a team headlined by two players who aren't known for hitting the three. They also signed Malik Monk and trade for Kevin Huerter. Both known shooters who can help space the floor even more. On top of all that, they hired Mike Brown as their head coach. Brown has changed the culture in Sacramento and is one of the top candidates for Coach of the Year. The moves made by the front office that followed the Sabonis trade are what have made the Kings the success they are today and shows that they had a plan to resolve the issues the team had before and after acquiring Sabonis. THANK YOU FOR READING MY TEDTALK! BEAM TEAM SUPREMACY!
Those Sabonis rookie cards i picked up 16 days ago are sitting nice and pretty right in front of me. Don't get it twisted, without raw Shaq esque power or unusual Durant handles, seldom ever seen on jerseys that don't bear those names themself, this elite big man just stood as a "pretty solid tall guy" and was on the road behind so many other criminally underrated big men. It's unfair to assume that fans would think otherwise, as entertainment stands as the critical driving force for a majority that does not tune in the entire season until the final round of playoffs. Join me fellow diamond hands.
Sabonis dad Arvydas was so much better. Would have been easily top 3 bigs all time had he not torn both his achilles (on one leg I believe he tore it twice) amongst other injuries AND was allowed to leave his country in his youth. Anyone who thinks otherwise can do research on him in his teens. Man was 7'3", dribbled and passed like Magic, had a good shot and a serious hook shots! Man came into NBA battered and bruised in his 30s. 30s! And still had good outings. You can catch him in his youth in an English narrated version of Lithuanian basketball (only place I could find footage of him in his youth) and of course, "The Other Dream Team" which I would highly recommend for any basketball fan to watch who loves a good story of an underdog. There you could also see him play but the footage isn't as extensive as in the other video. Only after research would I even entertain mockery or an argument about what I've stated. :) thanks and God bless!
I KNEW when the Thunder traded Sabonis that is the wrong move. Imagine him on that Thunder squad right now... damn
I swear it sounded like you said “Indiana and Sacramenta,” lol sounded like some of my kinfolk
I wish the suns would've traded Ayton for sabonis when there were rumors
Sabonis way underrated he is top 3 big man in the league
The kings team this year and the kings team last year are 2 totally different teams. Jj had every right to say that about last year's kings team. The pieces they gave away vs. the piecs they got back did not improve that years team at all. It was what they did in the off-season that changed everything. The addition of monk and heurter drastically fixed what that trade gave away. The the kings also drafted murray which further fixed the trade. Then there's what should be this seasons coach of the year in Mike brown. I can tell your a kings fan, but this video really does a disservice to the amazing job you gm did this past off-season.
Just look at the market months after the trade, teams were trading 3 picks and 2 swaps! Murray was one time all star and they gave up way more than the Kings did for Sabonis.
Look at the Wolves!
Looking at the TRADE MARKET, Kings FLEECED the Pacers due to the fact we didn't give away a pick for an all star player.
Based
@@darrengordon-hill huh
It's a Win-Win for the Pacers and the Kings. We got Tyrese, who is a franchise leader in the making for us, and the Kings got Sabonis. I'm happy that he is playing great there, and dissapointed that he won't be an All-Star
Sabonis is a lock to be an All Star already haha what u saying? He's an All NBA as well
@@judethezaint Ok, he did get in, but for a while it was looking like he won't even make the show. I blame the fan voting format lol
You can't blame ESPN for thinking the Kings botched this trade. The front office had been a disaster since 2004.
What nobody noticed was that the Kings' front office really turned it around. Sabonis was disrespected by ESPN after this trade, but what few realized was how badly the Pacers misused him. The Kings' front office recognized this and went out and got him.
Immediately after the trade, the roster WAS unbalanced. They didn't have much shooting. You can't blame ESPN for assuming that the (in recent memory) disastrously bad front office (despite new a new team in place) would probably revert to mean and continue to be terrible. I assumed that they didn't have a plan in place. Glad I was wrong, too!
The Kings' front office recognized how badly Kevin Huerter had been misused in Atlanta and got him. Same with Malik Monk in Charlotte and L.A.. The front office has been crushing it for a year straight. They have surprisingly good balance and a deep roster whose talents are being used optimally. Kudos to the coaching staff for putting everyone in position to make best use of their abilities and complement one another. A master class in how to rebuild.
Even the King's GM would be shocked at how well things have turned out.
The trade seemed odd, but it worked. Everyone is happy for the King's, many pundits want Sabonis and Fox in the All Star game. This isn't a grudge story, it's a feel good story.
Athleticism, toughness, mindset, playmaking, bball iq is from his dad. And thats enough to be an all star. Just imagine Domas with Arvydas's height, wingspan, slightly better shooting and flair of passes...
im confused.. what was this video supposed to prove? The trade wasnt that bad for the kings? lol ur totally disregarding the future trades and moves the kings made after getting sabonis. Their shooting wasnt questioned after they traded for huerter and drafted murray. And u only talked about offense in this video. No one questions sabonis's offensive skills. But theres no doubt he sucks on defense and no team wants this guy to protect their paint. The kings statistically are a bottom 10 defense and have limited ways to fix that problem as long as sabonis plays at center. They are currently 8th in record and arguably worse than teams like the clippers and pelicans who have injuries but should be healthy by the playoffs. Theres nothing to flex about what theyre currently doing. As for the future, they do have good young players, but they traded a GREAT young player in haliburton which was still a bad move.
I absolutely adore Haliburton, but it was either him or Fox and there’s no way Indiana would’ve made this trade for Fox. Never understood the backlash the Kings got though.
I’m glad you made this video because I posted a comment on the espn video lambasting the kings…”make it make sense, make it make sense!”…I explained that two ball-dominant guards couldn’t co-exist, especially as Fox doesn’t play off-ball and Haliburton is best with ball in hand (as evidenced in Indiana). As there was no serious market for Fox at the time, Hali had to go. The offence when they were on the court was “my turn, your turn”, which we saw with Cunningham and Ivey with zero success, and to some degree with Mitchell and Garland (Cavs had the same problem with Garland and Sexton), etc you can go the list of teams with similar issues past and present.
Anyway, the rationale was so obvious in terms of fit, I lost all respect for Redick and the others that chimed in.
They’re really all about ratings and pushing the same old narratives and cliches that is not insightful.
Yup its just lazy "journalism" these "experts" watch/follow only a few high profile teams and or players but come at you like they have the pulse on the WHOLE league. They dont
The simple answer to why this trade worked out for the Kings is that they didn't need two ball dominant guards who cannibalized each other's production. They needed to go with Fox or Haliburton and they choose Fox. They are both absolute ballers but there was only so much room for both. The trade maximizes Fox's potential while also adding an allstar big that doesn't need the ball in his hands.
Good for SAC fans. It’s been a very long time since they had a solid team put together.
Considering when I first started watching basketball (early 2000’s) they were stacked. Happy to see it.
In my fantasy ball league, Sabonis has been a sought after baller for the last 4 years at least. I actually drafted him in the first round this year with the 11th pick. Felt I got a steal there. Dude has been slaying it for the kings. He's having his best season yet and does it all. Dude is up there with the best players in the league.
Tyrese Haliburton is doing at least as well as Sabonis. Both teams won this trade. Though it Sabonis could have been gotten for Fox, it would be a different story.
The issue most people had with the trade wasn't bashing on Sabonis it was the fact SAC traded Haliburton and not Fox. Fox's career trajectory seemed to be going backwards while Haliburton is already a star in his second season. A small guard who can't shoot and isn't a huge assist guy is a real problem as defense and spacing will always be an issue. His 3 point shooting going backwards is a little unforgiveable given how many players come into the league without a jumper and are good to great shooters by their prime. So yeah the Kings are better today, the Fox/Haliburton fit wasn't great and Sabonis is an all star in his prime, but Haliburton is probably already better then Fox and will be making an ALL NBA team in his second season and likely for years to come. That caliber of player is virtually never traded that early into their career. So while the Kings are having a nice season it's likelier than not that Haliburton ends up making them regret this trade.
i think they were trying to trade fox instead but the pacers didnt want to take his and buddy's huge contracts and the kings really wanted sabonis. eitherways im glad we kept fox lol haliburton cant take over the way fox does.
@@ekebezu I imagine you're right that they couldn't get the same return for Fox, though I still don't think that justifies trading an all NBA player in their second year. You just get what you can for Fox and build around Haliburton, Murray and the pieces you get back for Fox.
Idk about that man. Haliurton can't score as well as Fox yet but he definitely impacts the game at least as much. If you polled every NBA gm on who they would rather have its a unanimous Haliburton. Fox probably won't ever be an all NBA player and Haliburton is going to be one in his second season...
I do love the team though they're super fun I hope they do well in the playoffs. If they can make or win the Finals I will be proven wrong.
Saboner is a hybrid point guard center
I thought the King's and Pacers trade was a win win for both sides. The King's needed to pair Sabonis with Fox which is a great fit, and the Pacers needed a young star to start over.
Thank you for this great video, keep up the good work and LIGHT THE BEAM
"Deaaron fox cant shoot" guy has the smoothest mid range in the game
Great reporting. I’m a new subscriber
Fast forward on my time machine 1 year later. The Kings are 3rd in the WEST with the top offense in the league. Not bad for a team that can't shoot?
Who actually takes what the media says seriously? Reddick said it himself. They know some of these players on a personal level and can use their media presence to lobby for their friends still in the league. The NBA media is a joke.
The addition of huerter helped the kings a lot! Drafting that rookie also helped them .. jj was right shooting was there problem but with those 2 additions solve that
Indiana kinda hold Sabonis back too with playing with non shooters and out of position at PF.
More of holding Sabonis back playing a system that didn't utilized Sabonis. They did a lot of PnR with Turner at the corner. Sabonis is miles better playing at the high post as a read option player.
@@blowc1612 “miles better” nice pun 😉
Sabonis was really good even at Indi. They just happen to face a lot of Lebron's peak years lol
Traded Hali and Buddy for a whole new culture with real direction. A new HC who brought in a whole new coaching staff of his choice. Lost one great 3 point shooter for 5 consistently good 3 point shooters. Fox completely elevated his 3 point shooting (he has a higher 3PT% than Trae Young currently) and his decision making in the clutch over the off-season. Sabonis is basically a much more talented, taller, & stronger Draymond Green in our offense as he more or less runs our offense like the PG with screens, handoffs & passing.
I love when these so-called experts at espn are proven wrong.
Painfully shortsighted analysis as if Sabonis was traded straight up for Haliburton, that time stopped, no other moves were made by either team, no one filled the void left by whomever moved teams in this trade, no players developed and / or took on larger roles, etc and presto, the Kings are in 1st in the Pacific at this point therefore everyone was wrong about the trade.
"Building around two non shooters with non shooters." Sure didn't look that way the other night when they hit 12 threes in the first quarter. This might just be the somewhat rare occurrence where BOTH teams won the trade.
While we were enamored with Hali’s skillset the Kings knew what they NEEDED. Very impressed, i was honestly rooting for them to win the wemby sweepstakes in preseason but thats way out the door now lmao
it never was in the door lol
@@futurehofer1564 it’s the kings so it sure as hell was before they got cooking
JJ Reddick: 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
You'd think these "pros" would think about fit and spacing a little bit before spouting their hot takes. Unfortunate they usually aren't held accountable for these goofy narratives.
Held accountable? For doing their job and making sports fun to talk about? Lol…are they to be fined for being wrong?
@DraShawn Nash fun you say?
ESPN hated Indiana. Domas was playing out of his mind there, it just sucks that both Sabonis and Myles play the same position. Both teams won, I said it when the trade happened.
Light the Beam! Oh, yeah, and move the needle...lol
I will never forgive the magic for picking Sabonis to turn right around and trade him for Ibaka
ESPN just has terrible ball knowledge overall
Never accept ESPN as the gospel. That needs to be a Tshirt
The reason why the kings offense is so good is not solely due to the sabonis addition. they added 3 40% 3 point shooters in Keegan, Kevin, and Malik (down year but he can easily pick it up). without them the offense wouldnt be half of what it is.
If you watch the games you know that when sabonis on the floor the offense is great and without him on the floor thee offense looks average. So.. Yes those were important additions but sabonis stirs the drink
The kings had a great games since the sabonis trade, and those you mentioned are not even the kings yet.
What do they expect ... Respect? (ESPN) These kind of people are so Proud about themselves. Now, Sacramento is the real, Proud.
sending buddy hield was more painful than trading haliburton tbh. Having 2 ball dominant guards wasnt gonna work out.
As a watcher of the JJ redick podcast, I think he would tell you they caught him off guard.
Sac knew you could find shooters in free agency, but not a dynamic center. Indy has no vision year after year. They stack players at the same positions. They hung on to Hield too long now his value dropped. Same with Turner. They function as a handout team in order to stay under the lux. tax and gave up Brogdon to the #1 seed conference rival for role players nobody wanted and horrible end of 1st round pick. Utah got a better return for Royce O'Neal! They broke rule #1 of trading. Never help your Conf./Div. rival when they are on top.
Haliburton is nice, #1 in assists and All Star, but Pacers don't compete. Everybody looks like they want to be somewhere else. Sac meanwhile plays hungry and is looking to end playoff drought despite being in NBA small market purgatory.
Sabonis was a 24 year old two time all star centre. People were acting like The Kings got a scrub 😂
The main argument is that Haliburton is a franchise changing player while Sabonis is a piece. Of course a great piece to have but you are not winning just bc of him. Haliburton was carrying a projected 30 win Pacers team to the 4 seed before he got hurt. Now the Pacers have lost 7 of 8 without him.
It's satisfying to watch someone highlight JJ's take on the trade. When he started as an analyst, I really liked him because of his straightforward approach but as the season progressed, I started to hate his takes as some if not most are just plain wrong. Well at least he is still not like Skip, Shannon, Nick and Colin.
I was jealous of the kings when they got Sabonis. I have watched Sabonis for the last few years and when everyone overreacted at that trade, I was shocked
The amount of dis for Domas is crazy. Shows exactly what's wrong with the NBA and media around it these days. No longer is a great player worth talking about, it's more about the side circus and flash then the game itself.
Mike brown is to blame he is coaching his ass off nobody talking about it
This guy after every 3 words: “. 😮💨”
I remember this trade happening & my main thought was this. Sabonis was a great player & a great acquisition but them giving up Buddy & halliburton was too much. halliburton wanting to be on the team & make it something great was my main concern. You had a guy who wanted to be a lifer with the King's, or at least be someone who wanted to stay for the foreseeable future. I doubt Sabonis would want to stay if another team came calling with a similar offer when his contract expires. I think the majority of people respected Sabonis's skills, but thought losing halliburton was bad for them long term.
As a lithuanian myself, I can advocate for most of us being very humble, proud in where we are and giving it all to something that is relies on us. And as I've seen many times already, he is a man that lives by these values, don't be surprised when he stays there for the rest of his career if he doesn't get traded again.
I know non kings fans are shocked by this, but that is more common than you would think. Cousins cried when he got traded, Hali cried when he got traded, dearron fox has stated multiple times he loves sac and wants to stay and win here that it would be more special to him than to win anywhere else. Most the early 2000 kings guys kept houses and stayed living here after and are still part of the org. Sac isn’t as bad as people like to pretend.
Think the majority of kings fans would have given buddy up for a bag of peanuts, he got boo’d for a reason. Good shooter, but easily one of the dumbest players I have ever had to watch. I think getting rid of buddy plus Marvin and his pops were huge boosts to locker room chemistry and culture
@@iillestrs2153 Buddy had -5 IQ in Sacramento and did many things to make it appear he did not want to play here, especially behind Fox who was ball dominant. I feel like now that he’s on the Pacers he’s realized he’s not a top 3 player on any team and can’t shoot the ball on every possession, and its helped him a bit. Wish he coulda realized that here though lol
As far as Hield, they had to add someone to make the money work. Beyond that, he made it very clear he didn't want to be there. He offers nothing bedside his three point game. Sabonis seems pretty damn happy there. He's winning a lot more then he did in Indiana. Obviously time will tell. By the same token, Not sure why everyone assumes Haliburton is going to stay forever. We'll see.. M
I'm a fan of J.J. Redick, but if we're being honest, his prediction of Domantas Sabonis "not moving the needle" for Sacramento was perhaps his most epic fail as a broadcaster. Still gonna watch his show, but damn, he couldn't have been more wrong. 🤦
Just proves former players don’t know as much as they think
People also don’t understand that Saboner is only 26, been in the league 7 years and is a prolific 18 and 10 guy. Kings had to make a decision of Fox or Haliburton since both were good enough to start, and Mitchell just got drafted the year before Haliburton so it’s not like backup PG was in need either. Picking the better of the 2 scorers, and then pairing him with the second best passing big in the game really UNLOCKED the King’s system in a way that literally wasn’t previously possible. At the time of the trade I was way mad, hindsight, I was completely wrong and this will probably go down as one of the fairest trades in NBA history. Everyone won🔥