Indiana Pacers: Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings in Blockbuster trade

After trading Caris LeVert just a few days ago, the Indiana Pacers announced that they have traded Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, and Justin Holiday to the Sacramento Kings.

The Pacers in return are getting Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson from the Kings in this blockbuster trade.

It seems that the Pacers have decided on what direction they want to go and the return for Sabonis bodes well for the Indiana Pacers’ future.

The move was announced in the afternoon of Feb. 08, 2022, by ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski. He includes that the Indiana Pacers are also sending over a 2027 second-round pick to the Kings.

The Pacers figure out their logjam at the center position and are able to solidify what direction they want to build this team into. Haliburton and Hield will be great additions to the roster alongside the rookie Chris Duarte and Isaiah Jackson as well.

If Hield can up his shooting output, he could fit in well with this Rick Carlisle offense. The trade deadline isn’t over yet, so we will see if any other moves are made involving him or other members of the roster.

Domantas Sabonis became a two-time All-Star in Indiana through his five seasons with the Pacers. He is currently averaging 18.9 points per game and 12.1 rebounds and has been the filter of this Indiana offense for much of his time here.

There is no question Sabonis is one of the league’s most talented young players and will add a lot to that Sacramento situation. Justin Holiday was the Pacers’ best three-point shooter before being traded, and Jeremy Lamb is a good rotational player.

Both Victor Oldadipo and Domantas Sabonis have finished their time in Indiana, pushing the return value of Paul George farther away. The Pacers turned their best player into two different players that would become two-time All-Stars in their Pacers tenure.

What kind of players are the Indiana Pacers getting in return?

Tyrese Haliburton is in his second NBA season and just 21 years old – drafted in 2020 with the 12th pick. Haliburton has emerged as a stud guard for the Kings this season, averaging 14.3 points per game and 7.4 assists.

He can also shoot the ball extremely well, and has done so all season for the Kings. He shoots 41.3% from behind the arc and 45.7% from the field through his 51 games played. He has started every game.

Buddy Hield is a seven-year NBA vet that is currently shooting the worst of his NBA career. From three, he is shooting 36.8% and 38.2% from the field. Over his career, he averages 40% from behind the arc. This season he averages 14.4 points per game.

The Pacers also receive Tristan Thompson, which is not the most thrilling piece and is likely not in Indiana’s long-term plans. He averages 6.2 points per game.

This is a great return for the Pacers who are looking to restructure their roster with new head coach Rick Carlisle. They get good young players and more shooting on the wing, which they’ve struggled with outside of Duarte and Holiday this season.

The Pacers now have Haliburton, Hield, Duarte, and Jackson to look at for the rest of the season unless they have other plans with Hield ahead of the deadline.

With T.J. Warren, McConnell, and Myles Turner waiting to return, things are going to be wild for the Pacers for the foreseeable future. Nonetheless, this trade is an exciting change to what was an unfit Pacers roster and the team can now build on this change.

"Adrian Wojnarowski also reports that Myles Turner “gets to play center now and appears thrilled with the idea of playing with Haliburton”."

This changes his situation ahead of the deadline, as many people thought he would be the first player to be moved before injuring his foot.