Myles Turner Vs. Domantas Sabonis: Who is more vital to the Indiana Pacers?

What about his season as a whole? What does he bring for the future?

2020-21 Season Performance Grade: 3/5

The change in role and coaching, as well as playing a ridiculous amount of minutes this season has been a bit draining on Sabonis predictably, and he’s still had a pretty productive year!

The All-Star nod was cool, but it doesn’t mean a massive amount in this situation as so many players are snubbed a year, and he technically was a fill-in. The stuff he does in the locker room production is more important than the great popularity contest anyway so who really cares?

Said on-court production was probably better than the stats say, as he’s put up 19/11/6 on 59% true shooting, which are numbers you can’t scoff at, but his lack of spacing and real defensive impact still hurt the Pacers.

To round out the RAPTOR and LEBRON run for this piece, the 25-year-old’s RAPTOR is a -1.2 and his LEBRON is a 1.66. I don’t think Sabonis has “empty sats” thanks to his talent as a passer and his real rim gravity, but until he can get a real jumper he won’t be a genuine All-NBA guy.

Long Term Projected Value Score: 3/5

Sabonis is affordable, somewhat young, and if he can put on a jump shot could be a very valuable player, but until then I can’t see him being a better long-term option than his teammate Myles Turner due to him lacking needed skills for the long-term NBA.

If Domantas eventually wants the max, I think you capitalize on his semi-high trade value he would inevitably have. If the Magic got loaded for the future for a 31-year-old Vucevic, imagine what the Pacers could get for a player half a decade younger.

Final Score: 10 Points