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By Justin Grasso
Contributing Sports Writer
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The Golden State Warriors have an easy trade partner in the Sacramento Kings. With Jonathan Kuminga on the roster, Golden State holds Sacramento’s top rumored target, which leads NBA fans to believe that the Warriors could eventually pursue a deal for Domantas Sabonis.
However, a recent report from The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer suggests that the Warriors have a low level of interest in acquiring Sabonis at this time. That might end up being a mistake for Golden State.
“In truth I don't think that the Warriors are going to factor into any Sabonis Sweepstakes,” Fischer wrote in his latest on Wednesday.
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Fischer went on to reveal that the Warriors had a previous interest in Sabonis, dating back to 2022, before the star front-court player made his way to Sacramento from Indiana. The Kings were willing to include Sabonis in a potential sign-and-trade scenario to acquire Kuminga, but the Warriors have been described as “reluctant” to add some other required pieces, such as Buddy Hield or Moses Moody.
“Going after Sabonis and his $42.3 million salary would obviously compel Golden State to surrender more than just Kuminga, which raises a natural question: How many valued elements of its roster would the Warriors truly be willing to part with for a center who isn't a floor-spacer or a rim protector?” Fischer added.
The Warriors were confident that the addition of Al Horford would help them solve their front-court concerns. The one-time champion is a versatile two-way big man who played a critical role for the Boston Celtics during two different stints. At 39, Horford certainly isn’t the five-time All-Star-caliber anymore, but he was still quite productive for the Celtics a season ago, averaging 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists.
In 12 games off the bench for the Warriors, Horford has averaged 5.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. He’s shooting just 34 percent from the field, and making 32 percent of his threes on 4.2 shots per game.
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Sabonis has been the picture of consistency since joining the Kings in 2022. Over the past three seasons, he has averaged 19.2 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 7.2 assists, while knocking down 39 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. His numbers have taken a slight dip through 11 games this year, but he was still productive prior to going down with an injury, which currently has him on a four-game absence.
Over time, the Warriors’ thought process could change. Kuminga hasn’t convinced anybody outside of the organization that he won’t be on the move once he’s eligible to get traded. Depending on how the rest of the roster plays over the next couple of months, the Warriors could change how much they value certain pieces.
But looking at Golden State’s current front-court situation, they could use some help. A healthy Sabonis would be a game-changer, but the Warriors would have to load up a package to match the $42.3 million salary that Sabonis carries.
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