Any sabonis mention usually comes with a lot of distaste, people generally aren’t interested but I actually think maybe we should be.

Our team would be *disgusting* offensively. We are already really good on offense, now imagine sabonis instead of queta in that dribble handoff role setting screens and catching deep post. Second best passing big in the league behind jokic also, with all of our shooting around him would be insane. The offense would be all time great.
I think our defense would still be really good. He would be the only average/below average defender; and if we can make *garza* look passable, I’m certain Joe can put sabonis in a position to succeed. He would be covered by 4 great defenders if we started white-brown-Walsh-Tatum next to him, I feel like that’s good enough for a top 10 defense even with him.
His rebounding is insanely good, one of the best rebounders in the league on both ends and would help us a ton and outweigh a lot of the defensive shortcomings.
His value is at an all time low because he hasn’t played much this year and the kings are awful, he could probably be gotten for fairly cheap.
We could also try to get Ellis with him in the trade because he’s on a minimum deal, also having a down year, and the kings seem to be shopping him too.

The deal is pretty straightforward, only variable is what pick compensation we would have to include.

Simons/Hauser/minott/tillman/boucher for sabonis/ellis/mcdermott/eubanks

Likely would include at least our 2026 first, maybe a future swap as well but the pick compensation would change depending on who needs what. Kings would waive both of Tillman and Boucher I’m sure and we would wave mcdermott and eubanks also and probably sign Amari Williams to a standard contract.

Starting 5 post trade: white-brown-Walsh-Tatum-sabonis

Bench post trade: Pritchard-Ellis-Baylor-Hugo-queta/garza

I feel like that’s a significantly better roster and a true contender, I think that team is pretty sick and we should be more open minded about the idea of sabonis(and Ellis if we could get him too)

mattylewmadeit

73 | 11 hours ago

His contract is way too inflated money wise

jgehpart2

6 | 11 hours ago

It’s exactly this. Whether or not he’s a distressed asset in terms of what you need to give up to trade for him, he’s overpaid for what he brings to a contender and under contract for two more years after this one.

JaDamian_Steinblatt

52 | 11 hours ago

Sabonis is one of my favorite players, he’s really fun to watch. I love Sabonis… on somebody else’s team.

sir_darkside | KG

11 | 6 hours ago

You don’t need a Sabonis, you need a friend with a Sabonis.

Jordanwolf98 | Abby

2 | 6 hours ago

He was awesome for his 1st half of the season here, but I feel like the Kemba signing kinda made me realize how many guys I love watching on other teams that would frustrate the hell outta me if they were on my team. Sabonis frustrates me and he isn’t even a Celtic so I’d wanna steer clear lol

Orikshekor

41 | 11 hours ago

You can’t win with his rim protection just no…

Timbaland77

14 | 11 hours ago

Love Sabonis and he’d be a great fit as a 4, but you’re right… You can’t win a championship with him as your rim protector.

9Yogi

-2 | 11 hours ago

I think we can. We’ll be very offense heavy though, but with our perimeter defense we have a chance. Like the Nash Suns. If Sacramento gives us Sabonis and picks, I think it’s good. But I wouldn’t trade assets for him. I don’t see why Sacramento would unload his salary for assets either.

BlackMilk23 | RONDOOOOOO

4 | 10 hours ago

He also kills spacing.

9Yogi

0 | 9 hours ago

He’s a great playmaker, rebounder. He’s has good inside gravity, so I don’t think he hurts the spacing. Celtics have no inside gravity, so he might actually help our shooters get better looks.

B_Sox | Len Bias

1 | an hour ago

I’m not advocating for us to trade for him, but the idea that he kills spacing is incredibly stupid.

B_Sox | Len Bias

-1 | 9 hours ago

This idea that a Center “kills” spacing just because they don’t shoot 3s needs to go away. Sabonis for example has the ability to be a passing hub out of the high post, and he’s a dangerous paint scorer that attracts doubles.

Queta doesn’t do either of those things and even he doesn’t kill spacing. Defenses have to account for his rim running ability.

BlackMilk23 | RONDOOOOOO

0 | 2 hours ago

I mean yeah that all makes sense in theory, but in practice the teams he’s been on typically struggle with spacing.

Normally centers who are bad at defense are good at shooting and the trade off is somewhat acceptable. But the archetype of low post player who can’t protect the rim is basically on its way out. Those types bounce around from team to team even when they put up good numbers. Nurkic and Sabonis are the last of a dying breed. Their passing makes them more valuable than guys like Enes Kanter (Freedom) and Okafor but a lot of the same limitations apply.

Jokic has similar defenseive profile but is just so much better on offense in addition to being a floor spacer. Draymond is similar offensive profile but is obviously one of the best and most versatile defenders in history.

Sabonis works best with another big who can space the floor and protect the rim. But those kind of players don’t grow on trees. He had it with Myles Turner but even that didn’t work long-term.

cimmanonrolls | future mvp juhann begarin

24 | 11 hours ago

sabonis is a litmus test for ball knowers. brad would never trade for him.

F0KK0F

1 | 34 minutes ago

Sabin8s 8s close to what they call in the NFL the “Dalton Line” perfectly average

archerarcher0

-11 | 10 hours ago

Dude it’s not some sort of genius evaluation if you’re not a sabonis guy it’s just because he isn’t a floor spacer or a rim protector, that’s the most basic “ball knower” knowledge imaginable

Im just suggesting that floor spacing from your 5 isn’t totally necessary and we could get by without having a good rim protector at the 5 and be insanely good offensively

cimmanonrolls | future mvp juhann begarin

5 | 10 hours ago

in the regular season

K3TtLek0Rn

2 | 5 hours ago

Yup he drops tremendously in the postseason and looks like a huge liability out there

ThatsATommyPoint_ | Jeff Green Dunkathon

-2 | 6 hours ago

Cooked you though. Gtfo with “litmus test”, everyone says the same thing about sabonis lol it’s not some secret he’s not a rim protector. Don’t resort to the “don’t know ball” little kid shit please it’s beneath us all

cimmanonrolls | future mvp juhann begarin

1 | 7 minutes ago

you seem really upset about this

JaDamian_Steinblatt

1 | 4 hours ago

Your argument is “the downside aren’t that bad” but you still haven’t provided a good enough reason to trade for him. It’ll help the offense? The Celtics already have a great offense.

archerarcher0

1 | 2 hours ago

My reason is I think the fact that he’s one of the best rebounders in the league will help offset a lot of the defensive shortcomings. I also think our defense around him would be so good that we’d still be a top 10 defense, especially if Joe started Walsh or Hugo

The reason is that I think we can get away with the not so great defense, and if you can get away with the defense the offense would be potentially best offense ever territory

Jegagne88 | King Al Horford

9 | 11 hours ago

Sabonis fucking sucks

Haunting-Emu3888

7 | 9 hours ago

As a C’s fan who lived in Sacramento forever, no thank you

BlooregardQKazoo

5 | 11 hours ago

We just saw them blow the team up to get out of the second apron and you want to go right back? Any trade for someone making that kind of money has to involve White to avoid finding ourselves right back where we were.

A big part of why Zubac is so attractive is that he makes half of what Sabonis makes.

F0KK0F

1 | 32 minutes ago

It’s no secret that’s what the Celtics did, but fans think since it’s not their money, then why the hell not.

archerarcher0

-6 | 10 hours ago

Wouldn’t take us back this year or any year going forward

Yall gotta stop saying fear mongering apron shit without knowing what you’re talking about

BlooregardQKazoo

2 | 10 hours ago

It would put us right up against it, and then we wouldn’t be able to add or re-sign anyone without crossing it.

Do you want to keep Jordan Walsh? The best chance to do that is to sign him to an extension this offseason, which a Sabontis deal would prevent. So then after next year both Walsh and Queta leave because Boston cannot give them raises without going into the 2nd apron.

There are players out there worth that, and Sabonis is not one of them.

CarBallAlex

2 | 9 hours ago

Second apron isn’t exactly “fear mongering”

Since the second apron was fully implemented in the 2024 offseason, the Warriors, Clippers, and Bucks all ducked it after 1 season. The Celtics and Suns after 2 seasons had to just dump players to get below that line.

Minnesota just let NAW go and didn’t replace him to stay below the apron.

There were also a number of moves done just to prepare for the imminent 2nd apron, like the KAT for Randle swap and Warriors letting Klay go.

Also immediately after the CBA was signed in 2023, the Hornets, Mavericks and Suns owners immediately sold their team. The Celtics immediately announced their sale after winning a championship going into year 2 of 2nd apron. The Lakers just sold despite being one of the most valued franchises in all of American sports. That’s kind of weird that so many teams got sold, last time it happened like this was the 2012 lockout (hard salary cap and harsher luxury tax, which is extremely relevant to the way rich people operate).

Currently, there is 1 team in the 2nd apron, the Cavs who are $22M over. Don’t be shocked if they dump players like Allen and Garland and replace them with low salaried players to duck the 2nd apron this summer.

OKC will be a good litmus test for how teams operate around the 2nd apron. JDub and Holmgren’s max contracts kick in next season. Despite having the best team in the league with a young core, if they start shedding players because they can’t pay them, then it’s safe to say teams are just done building long term this way. Over are the days like the Warriors from 2018-2024 being a top 2 most expensive team year after year after year just to keep a team together.

Fact is, Tatum, Brown and Sabonis make a combined $161,007,294 next season. The 2nd apron is projected to be around $222M. This leaves $60M for 11 players. That's an average of $5.5M. Doable if everyone’s a minimum, but basically impossible to have another player making over $20M. White gone, Simons gone, and no avenue to pay Queta or Walsh. I wouldn’t trade those 4 guys just for 1-2 years of Sabonis.

“Idk how teams are going to guard us”

That kind of thinking is how the Suns got into the situation they did with Durant, Booker, Beal, and nobody else.

Money is the exact reason why this will never happen.

archerarcher0

0 | 2 hours ago

It would basically round out to being about 14 mill to fill out the rest of the team and minimums don’t count towards the totally. The 13 mill below the second apron accounts for sabonis, white, Walsh, Jaylen, Jayson, Pritchard, Hugo, queta and Garza

That’s 9 guys, you have 13 mill and as many min deals as you want to fill 3-5 more spots, you’re overreacting and that’s the “fear mongering” part- you aren’t in danger of going into the second apron anytime soon with that roster

CarBallAlex

1 | an hour ago

9 guys + 3 isn’t enough, you need 14 standard contracts for a season. Can dip below that for a short time, but for the majority of the year at least 14. So let’s assume you have 5 minimum level guys which depending on how many years in the league would average around $2.1M to $3.9M. Yeah it’s doable, and you can be right below the 2nd apron if you’re finding guys still on their rookie deals (how would you obtain them?). Any 4th/5th year player signed as a free agent comes out to $13M to $14M which would put us right over. But let’s play devil’s advocate and say we’re savvy enough to fill those spots with an undrafted, Maine guys who make a little less, a rookie if we still have any pick this summer.

But what happens in 2027-28? Tatum, Brown, Sabonis, White, Pritchard, Gonzalez and 5 minimum guys (11 total) would make somewhere around $231M and the projected 2nd apron is $234-245M. If it’s on the low end, absolutely no way we don’t go over while still needing to pay Walsh and Queta new extensions, which now hits the 3 in 5 years penalty (2024, 2025, 2028) and we have our pick move to the end of the first round and are severely restricted on all the other 2nd apron penalties.

If it’s on the high end, I don’t see how you pay either of them more than $6-7M, which is an incredible low ball offer if you’re expecting Queta to continue to play this well and Walsh to be a starter. They will hit the open market and make more, just as Luke Kornet did where we were too worried about paying him ⁴⁄₄₀ because of the 2nd apron implications.

There is no reasonable path to acquiring Sabonis and staying below the 2nd apron for 2 years, which the Celtics need to do or they lose a lot of flexibility in the future. No team has shown a willingness yet to stay above the 2nd apron consistently. If a team like OKC doesn’t do it despite having a million picks to keep replenishing the gravy train, why would you expect any other team to ignore the 2nd apron? The Celtics are not going to just give up all the production they’re getting out of these players outplaying their contract just for 2 years of Sabonis.

That’s short-term thinking. And I also hate the fit. You lose Hauser, Simons, Scheierman and Minott in this process. Probably at least one of Walsh or Queta as well. That’s a lot of shooting and offensive production gone for a non-shooting big (can’t play alongside Queta and can’t bring in any non-shooting 4’s). And we know he sucks on defense. I think there’s a world in which he makes the Celtics worse than they are now. At that price tag, he’s not worth it.

Maple612

5 | 9 hours ago

Sabonis sucks

Beantown_Kid

5 | 11 hours ago

He gets exposed in the playoffs for shaky outside shooting. In the wide open east, he doesn’t raise the ceiling of this team enough to warrant the price it would take to get him.

Edit: I just saw the trade package OP proposed and I have absolutely no idea why Sacramento would do this trade.

Th1Pyro

5 | 11 hours ago

He makes too much plus we would probably benefit more from a traditional, glass cleaning rim protecting big that is significantly cheaper. I watched Sabonis last year (fantasy purposes) and this guy cannot play interior d to save his life.

BlackMilk23 | RONDOOOOOO

4 | 11 hours ago

He can’t protect the rim as a five and he cant guard the four. He also makes a lot of money.

He needs a very particular type of team to thrive. The Myles Turner pairing was probably the best situation and even that didn’t “work”.

Flimsy_Ad_6145

4 | 10 hours ago

im grateful to know this never will happen

Tiredasheckrn | Jae

3 | 10 hours ago

We just had to get rid of a bunch of players because of the cap rules. Don’t think we should immediately go back to cap hell for a C that is getting 45 mill for the next 3 seasons and can’t play defense

MundaneExtension3195

2 | 11 hours ago

Sabonis makes too much, cant fit him in… i see your points, but I cant see Sabonis on the C’s

bananajunior3000 | SMARF

3 | 11 hours ago

Sabonis makes way too much and doesn’t protect the rim nearly enough to be worth acquiring. Garza does most of what he does well already, if we trade for a big it needs to be one that can defend the big centers we struggle with now, not another undersized center.

Big-Detective3477

2 | 11 hours ago

Sabonis will/might be a great fit, but I think Hugo and Hauser will be part of the deal, and I don’t want to give up either specially Hugo.

archerarcher0

0 | 10 hours ago

Don’t see why Hugo would have to be in it

Son_of_Atreus | Tank Szn 🎽

2 | 11 hours ago

Waaaaay too expensive.

TheJoser

2 | 9 hours ago

Hard pass. I enjoy watching him, but you can’t win a championship with him taking that much of the salary cap. Too many holes, especially in areas that are almost impossible to cover up.

Best of luck to him though, I really like him

Diztrakted

1 | 11 hours ago

I think this works if we resign ourselves to having to play double big in some cases. The big problem is the salary though: $45m and $48m the next two years. That’s pretty infeasible, no?

archerarcher0

1 | 10 hours ago

Not necessarily, we’d still be well under the second apron long term

drsnafu | It's always Gino time down under

1 | 10 hours ago

Losing player.

archerarcher0

1 | 2 hours ago

When has he been on a team that should’ve been better than they were but weren’t because of sabonis?

mralex289 | Wherefore Art Thou Romeo

1 | 10 hours ago

I agree, he would be amazing here

Holiday-Usual-3600 | Derrick White

1 | 8 hours ago

Luka Garza with less shooting for 25x the contract

Mbanicek64

1 | 3 hours ago

No. I’m not. He’s a ceiling.

Fuckblackhorses

1 | 33 minutes ago

lol people were calling this guy an mvp candidate a few years ago. That contract is absolutely absurd for such a limited player. 45mil+ for the next 2 years. He’d make our team better sure, but any center probably would at this point

Tech_Quest8

0 | 11 hours ago

He’s not a playoffs guy. Jarrett Allen would kill him, Jalen Duren and majority of the east bigs

PersonalityKlutzy588

0 | 10 hours ago

The main problem imo with this trade or him being on the team in general is he becomes the teams pg. Tatum finally in 2025 understood what it takes to be a pg all game and I don’t want that stripped for him so we can see sabonis pass. Just from a entertainment pov I don’t want to see it I rather see the ball in Tatums hands as much as possible

69tooSpooky420me

-1 | 11 hours ago

big neemy guy here, I approve.

69tooSpooky420me

-3 | 11 hours ago

I LOVE THIS IDEA

gtoinwq

-3 | 11 hours ago

Sabonis would be a huge pick up. He is a dog on the glass. A Sabonis or vucevic type player is what we need for immediate contention. Horford probably lost his best shot at another championship leaving the Celtics.

I feel like we are overlooking how good sabonis would actually be on this team