Domantas Sabonis: Breaking down season one with the Indiana Pacers

Domantas Sabonis is likely one of the core components of this Pacers team moving forward. At just 22 years old, Sabonis is under team control for another 2 years before he’ll hit restricted free agency (if the Pacers don’t extend him before them). As a young, talented big man, the Pacers will be loathe to let Domas go anywhere.

To boot, his bromance with Victor Oladipo and his apparent love of the Pacers make it even harder to envision him going. However, that doesn’t mean keeping him will be easy either.

The Indiana Pacers 3 core players moving forward are likely to be Victor Oladipo, Myles Turner, and Domantas Sabonis. Unfortunately, 2 of those guys happen to play the same position. Some fans have gone back and forth all year on who should be starting. The coaching staff appears to have complete faith in Turner, who had a slightly down year after 2 promising seasons with the blue and gold.

Ultimately, the Pacers have 3 options moving forward if they’re going to keep both of their prized young bigs.

Option 1: Myles Turner remains the starter, Domantas Sabonis remains in the backup role

This seems like the mostly likely outcome for next year. The Pacers are invested heavily in Turner, and he’s proven he can excel as a starting NBA center. His rim protection and 3 -point shooting are huge assets to the team, and his ceiling is unicorn-ish.

Sabonis feasted on weaker backup bigs, and his glaring lack of right hand was much less important against them. He also works brilliantly with Lance Stephenson. Their combined passing and feel juices an offense that really has no go-to guy with that 2nd unit.

Option 2: Domas becomes the starter, Myles assumes the 6th man role 

While fans have been calling for this, I struggle to see it happening. Not saying it is or isn’t warranted— just don’t see Nate McMillan getting down enough on Myles to bench him.

Option 3: The Pacers start both Turner and Sabonis

This has to be the ultimate goal — playing your young bigs alongside each other. The fit has definitely been rocky thus far, but they definitely have the offensive chops to make it work.

Defensively, neither has shown any capability of guarding small ball 4’s at all. Realistically, that may be the thing that decides whether or not the Pacers can play these 2 guys together. (As an aside— it becomes even less likely because it seems like Thad Young will likely be back next season.)

Regardless the long-term vision, it’s highly unlikely that the young Lithuanian big with immaculate hair will be going anywhere this upcoming year. With them both being on rookie scale contracts under team control for multiple years, the Pacers have time to figure it out. While the Pacers are figuring that out, they’ll hope to see Domas figure out a right hand and a bit more range on his jumper.

Next: Oladipo sings "New York, New York" with Charles Barkley

With another year (and a year playing his preferred style) under his belt, my money’s on another breakout type season for Domas Sabonis next year.