The Sacramento Kings and center Domantas Sabonis reportedly agreed to a massive contract renegotiation on Saturday night for a total of $217 million over five seasons, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Sabonis, 27, will receive $195 million in new money after impressing the franchise in his first year at Sacramento after arriving in a trade that sent Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield to the Indiana Pacers.
While the big man will receive an extra $8.6 million to raise his 2023-24 salary to $30.6 million, but will reportedly not take the full money to allow the Kings flexibility in roster-building.
His team-friendly deal will still add a four-year extension that’ll give Sabonis around $200 million more over the next five seasons.
The Kings reached the playoffs last season for the first time in 16 years and Sabonis was a huge factor.
Domantas Sabonis among the best big men
Sacramento lost to the Golden State Warriors in Game 7 of the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, but Sabonis proved he is among the league’s best big men.
With the Denver Nuggets winning the NBA championship, multiple franchises have been on the prowl for a solid big man to combat Nikola Jokic, but they’re scarce.
Kings head coach Mike Brown locking in Sabonis for the foreseeable future is the first step to once again reaching the postseason.
Sabonis averaged 19 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in 79 games this past season.