NBA Mock Trade: Pistons Solidify Title Contention With Trade For Domantas Sabonis
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The Sacramento Kings are believed to emerge as one of the top sellers ahead of the NBA trade deadline this season. The Kings’ books are littered with veteran players on massive deals, who continue to garner interest in the trade market with the halfway point of the season approaching.
In the frontcourt, All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis has been linked to a myriad of teams around the league, presenting an enticing trade target for clubs in playoff contention. Sabonis would command a significant return for Sacramento, as the team prepares to enter a rebuild following consecutive years of regression from the team as a whole.
Navigating potential suitors around the league, the Detroit Pistons come to the forefront considering Sabonis’ fit alongside the likes of Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren. Here’s a trade that sees Sabonis dealt to the Motor City:
Sacramento Kings-Detroit Pistons Mock Trade & Fantasy Basketball Impact
Sacramento Kings receive Tobias Harris, Isaiah Stewart, 2027 first-round pick, 2027 second-round pick (DAL)
Detroit Pistons receive Domantas Sabonis
In the proposed deal, Sabonis is sent to Detroit in exchange for an expiring deal, a developing big man in Isaiah Stewart, and considerable draft capital. The two-time All-Star has been one of the most underrated players in the NBA throughout his career, but offers tremendous scoring, rebounding and playmaking production and will likely be one of the more sought-after trade candidates on the market this season. Suiting up alongside the likes of Cunningham and Duren, Sabonis solidifies the Pistons as legitimate title contenders for the foreseeable future, forming one of the top big-three trios in the league.
From a fantasy basketball perspective, his arrival could hurt his fantasy stock with lesser scoring responsibility and greater competition for rebounding alongside Duren, though his numbers as a whole project to remain largely consistent. Expectedly, Cunningham and Duren’s fantasy stock could also notice a minor hit, though the team’s upside skyrockets and prepares the club to compete with the NBA’s best teams.
Why The Kings Make The Trade
Monitoring the team’s trends throughout the season, Sacramento projects to be one of the first teams in the league to be eliminated from postseason contention, which has played a significant role in the team’s trade rumors. The Kings have continued to shop their key veterans, including Sabonis, Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, all of whom are signed to unfavorable deals for the team. Their core trio of veterans will command significant returns for the Kings, which could kickstart an impending rebuild.
Why The Pistons Make The Trade
The Pistons have taken hold of a wide-open Eastern Conference, boasting a 28-10 record to this point of the season with the top seed in the East. Striking an aggressive deal for Sabonis not only reinforces Detroit’s frontcourt, it also gives the team a consistent No. 2-3 scoring option behind its superstar point guard. Sabonis also helps strengthen one of the top defensive teams in the NBA this season. Rolling out a core of Sabonis, Cunningham, Ivey and Duren, the Pistons are set up for title contention as soon as this season.
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Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.