If you asked casual NBA fans, most probably forget Domantas Sabonis was even in the Paul George-Victor Oladipo trade. Even Indiana Pacers fans could be forgiven for forgetting that. For now, he’s the other guys in that trade, but he has a shot at becoming part of the Pacers’ future.
Sabonis’ time with the Oklahoma City Thunder was mostly forgettable. Despite playing 20 minutes a game he averaged only 5.9 points and 3.6 rebounds. His defense wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t memorable to anyone but his father watching on the other side of the planet.
But as we saw in the Indiana Pacers’ warp-speed opening night, Sabonis is more than just a throw-in on the trade.