Multiple teams are operating under the assumption that Domantas Sabonis has wanted out of Indiana for over a year. Now, outlets in Indiana have refuted this. Maybe that’s being floated to media in order to try and pry him loose with tension.
More on Domantas Sabonis Trade?
The Kings were not willing to entertain the thought of trading De’Aaron Fox last summer when they started surveying the market for a transformational move to alter the course of the franchise, but the situation in Sacramento has changed. A league source told The Sacramento Bee the Kings have stepped up their pursuit of Indiana Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis and they are including Fox in those discussions. Fox was so far off the table he wasn’t discussed when the Kings approached the Philadelphia 76ers about Ben Simmons last summer, sources with knowledge of the talks told The Bee, but now Fox is reportedly part of those conversations as well.
As the Pacers have engaged in trade talks for most on their rotation, league sources told The Athletic they are asking for an All-Star in return for Domantas Sabonis, while seeking a package of picks and young players for their other starters like Myles Turner and Caris LeVert.
The Athletic reported on Dec. 7 that the Pacers would potentially move toward a rebuild and were receptive to trade conversations around Domantas Sabonis, LeVert and Turner. The Pacers have an extremely high value on Sabonis, rival executives say, which makes a trade unlikelier for the two-time All-Star big man.
Keith Smith: Just talking to people around the league, I think there's more teams that feel (Myles) Turner is plug-and-play over Domantas Sabonis, because you don't necessarily need to run plays for him.
Kevin O'Connor: I've had a handful of executives around the league tell me when it comes to Sabonis deals... they're like, 'Look for some teams that aren't thinking about contending'. Look for some teams that are maybe on the fringes or teams that are even just in the lottery.
Brian Windhorst on the Pacers: They might trade one, they might trade two players. I would think Caris LeVert and Myles Turner, most likely in that order, from what I understand. I know there's a lot of discussion about Sabonis out there, that there's a lot of people claiming various things. I haven't heard Sabonis' name in the trade market.
Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer reported that Domantas Sabonis wants out of Indiana. That’s what I was told by multiple league sources as well, and that it wasn’t just this season, but instead going back to last year Sabonis was looking for a change of scenery.
Scott Agness: False
Marc Stein: You have to remember that they just hired Rick Carlisle to a four-year deal worth nearly 30 mil. Rick is not a tear-it-down-and-rebuild with youth coach. So are the Pacers really going to just trade both (Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis) and strip this thing down to Chris Duarte and youth. I think if you check around the league, you get a lot of skepticism for that kind of approach
Sabonis’ value around the league seems mixed, but there are several teams in the playoff picture, such as the Blazers and Kings, team executives have pointed to as potential landing spots. The Trail Blazers have Jusuf Nurkic and Robert Covington available. Sacramento has weighed trade interest for each of Buddy Hield, Marvin Bagley and Harrison Barnes dating back to last season’s trade deadline, and Carlisle is known to have an affinity for Barnes from their time together in Dallas. Rival executives believe only rookie standout Chris Duarte and fellow first year Isaiah Jackson are untouchable in Indiana. Malcolm Brogdon cannot be traded this season following a contract extension in October. “Sabonis, Turner, Warren, LeVert all can be had at the right price,” said another assistant general manager.
League sources told The Sacramento Bee the Kings have not engaged the Pacers in talks for Sabonis or Turner since last week when The Athletic reported Indiana is open to discussions. The website reported the Pacers are receptive to trade talks for guard Caris LeVert and either Sabonis or Turner as they move toward a rebuild, but the Kings have not shown interest in either of Indiana’s big men, sources told The Bee.
Scott Agness: There's no obvious choice (between Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner) because there's no obvious deal out there. There's no significant or far-along dialogue with any teams pacers have made some calls- I'm told other teams have checked in and seen and evaluated the value that the Pacers want back for those guys and even others on the team because I think it's open season a little bit. I wouldn't classify it as a fire sale by any means.
Scott Agness: Sabonis is not trying to get traded either. He's not trying to push his way out. He's good with it here. He likes this team. He likes most of the people around it and playing for Rick Carlisle. He bought a house here over a year ago. He's now a married man. He has a lot of frequent visitors. So I don't think he's looking to get out of here, doesn't mean he wouldn't embrace it.
Scott Agness: I believe, from what I've heard, Sabonis has more trade value. Yes, Turner is a little bit more interchangeable is the word that comes to mind because he can shoot outside.
The Pacers' sudden willingness to field trade calls on two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis and center Myles Turner, perhaps even to entertain a rebuild, does not bring them closer to the potential acquisition of Philadelphia's Ben Simmons. The 76ers have essentially completed a third of their season at 14-12 but league sources say that president of basketball operations Daryl Morey continues to hold firm on his ambitions in a Simmons deal, seeking a return package for Simmons headlined by a player from the Damian Lillard/Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tier.
Multiple sources said that the Pacers are receptive in trade dialogue with rival teams centered on potentially moving guard Caris LeVert and either two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis or center Myles Turner. All three players have frequently garnered significant interest from rival teams. Pacers officials have received frequent calls on both of their big men over the past several seasons, but new head coach Rick Carlisle wanted an opportunity to spend time with Sabonis and Turner and grow with the roster.
In need of a new direction amid a 10-16 start to the season, the Indiana Pacers are moving toward a substantial rebuild and are expected to open up trade conversations around some of their veteran stalwarts, sources tell The Athletic.
Although it was previously noted in this space that several executives expect the Indiana Pacers (22-12) to eventually break up their frontcourt of Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner, the team itself is happy with the old-school pair of big men.
J. Michael Falgoust: GM Chad Buchanan on possibility of trading Sabonis (paraphrasing): there was no chance that was happening #Pacers
Sam Amick: Sources, at @TheAthletic: One of the NBA's best young big men might be on the move. Darren Wolfson: Told #Twolves talked to Indiana about him in June. There's no sense that any recent talks have happened though. But it remains fascinating to track this front office's aggressiveness. It's a matter of when, not if, they execute more trades.
Scott Agness: Domas on potentially being dealt: "There’s not really much to talk about. I know exactly how the Pacers feel about me now, they know how I feel about that, and there’s not much more to say. Let my agents do the rest of it and we’ll see what happens.” He has spoken to his dad.
Nathan Brown: McMillan when asked about yesterday’s reports about Sabonis possibly being on the trade block and where the team may be on an extension: “I don’t talk about contracts.” Is that something you have to talk about with Domas? “I don’t talk about contracts.”
Tony East: Domantas Sabonis: “Theres not really much to talk about. I know exactly how the Pacers feel about me now. They know how I feel about that. There’s not much more to say. I’ll let my agents do the rest of it, we’ll see what happens”
One of the NBA’s best young big men might be on the move. With Domantas Sabonis and the Indiana Pacers far apart in discussions about a possible contract extension, and with a deal looking unlikely as the Monday night deadline looms, sources say the Pacers have engaged in active trade talks with several teams this week about the fourth-year forward.
There is no lack of interest in Sabonis, who averaged 14.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists last season as the Pacers — who lost Oladipo to a season-ending ruptured quad injury in a game against Toronto on Jan. 23 — pulled off such a surprising campaign (48-34; lost in the first round to Boston). Thus far, sources say the Pacers’ asking price in talks with several teams has been too high.
The Indiana Pacers have agreed to trade four-time All-Star forward Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder, sources tell ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. As part of the deal, the Pacers will acquire guard Victor Oladipo and big man Domantas Sabonis, sources said.
Sam Amick: Paul George coming to Oklahoma City via trade, I can confirm. Oladipo and Sabonis headed to Indy. @Ramona Shelburne first reported.
Shams Charania: Sources: Indiana has completed trade of Paul George to Oklahoma City for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis.
