Warriors stance on Domantas Sabonis trade is crystal clear after latest report

The Golden State Warriors have been speculated as a possible destination for All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis in recent days, with the Sacramento Kings set to make the 29-year-old and several other veteran players available ahead of the mid-season trade deadline.

However, don’t expect the Warriors to have much interest in Sabonis as many have suggested, with NBA insider Jake Fisher of The Stein Line pouring cold water on a potential blockbuster trade for the 6’10” center.

The Warriors are not expected to pursue a deal for Domantas Sabonis

Forbes’ Evan Sideri recently put the idea on the agenda by releasing a proposed trade that would have Sabonis and guard Keon Ellis head to Golden State, with running backs Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and Buddy Hield headed to Sacramento.

Yet even if the Warriors can mathematically make it work from a financial standpoint, Fisher questions how many rotation pieces the front office would be willing to give up to acquire a player who would bring his own potential issues with on-court fit.

“I actually don’t think the Warriors are going to be involved in any Sabonis sweepstakes. For a number of reasons,” Fischer wrote. “How many valuable elements of their roster would the Warriors really be willing to give up for a center who isn’t a floor-spacer or rim protector?”

As written here earlier in the week, there are very few concerns a Sabonis trade will prove worthwhile for Golden State unless they get so stuck in the mud that their desperation for some kind of circuit-breaker comes at the mid-season deadline.

The Jimmy Butler trade in February proved how horribly this can work, but Sabonis doesn’t have the same history of winning at a high level in the playoffs. Combine this with his weak defense, gap concerns with Butler and Draymond Green, and the fact that he is still owed more than $95 million over the next two years, and you have a situation that is not worth the investment from a Warriors standpoint.

That doesn’t mean the Warriors won’t be active by the deadline, yet the Sabonis speculation may stem more from the fact that the Kings have clear interest in Kuminga than anything else. A deal between Golden State and Sacramento around Kuminga is still a possibility, just don’t expect Sabonis to also be part of the transaction.