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Indiana Pacers salary series: Just how much could Sabonis’ next contract be?

By Tony East

MEMPHIS, TN - OCTOBER 6: Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Indiana Pacers handles the ball against the Memphis Grizzlies during a pre-season game on October 6, 2018 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TN - OCTOBER 6: Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Indiana Pacers handles the ball against the Memphis Grizzlies during a pre-season game on October 6, 2018 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Domantas Sabonis Indiana Pacers
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JANUARY 29: Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Indiana Pacers reacts after drawing an offensive foul against the Charlotte Hornets during a game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on January 29, 2018, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Pacers won 105-96. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

What contract comes next for Domantas Sabonis?

You know what makes this harder to determine? Myles Turner.

Say Turner makes a huge jump this season and pulls like $20 million per year on his next contract. That doesn’t prevent Indiana from paying Sabonis, you should always pay your good players. But it would make it harder to stomach paying Sabonis big money too, as the Pacers would be paying huge money to the center position.

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I still think the Pacers are willing to pay both, and will if needed. But the fact that they both play the same position makes it very challenging to see what deals could be headed their way.

Sabonis will be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2020, assuming that the Pacers offer him his $4,831,961 qualifying offer (spoiler: they will). A qualifying offer is a one year deal at that dollar amount. If Sabonis isn’t getting any deals he likes in restricted free agency, he could opt to take the qualifying offer, play on it for one season, and then go get more money the following summer (2021) when he is an unrestricted free agent.

Once a qualifying offer is offered to Sabonis, he would enter restricted free agency. He would be free to go pursue deals from whatever team he wants, but the Pacers would have match rights, meaning that they could match any deal that Sabonis signs with another team. If the Pacers want to keep Sabonis in 2020 and beyond, they will.

It is beneficial for the Pacers to negotiate with Sabonis on their own terms instead of matching a deal on another teams terms. They can make the deal more team friendly and still give Sabonis what he wants while also doing good by his agent, Jason Ranne. It’s the perfect situation.

If Sabonis continues to make bounds of improvement, perhaps a 5 year. $60-80 million deal makes sense (depending on how much he improves). I would say that is fair money for the insane production he offers in the post – both off the bench and occasionally as a starter.

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