Domas
What Does This Team Need Most?
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Domas
SLAB
Hall of Famer
Domas isn’t a star. He’s a very good player. He isn’t a star.
Try and prove this statistically. I'll change my mind if you make an actual argument with facts to back it up.
2 time all-nba and not a star. Was well on his way to a 3rd before getting hurt. What a world we live in.
I mean, here is a list of the players who were top-10 in all four of the "major" advanced stats last year (PER, WS, BPM, VORP):
Jokic (avg = 1.25)
SGA (avg = 1.75)
Giannis (avg = 3.75)
Sabonis (avg = 9.25)
That's it. That's the list. Here are the remaining players that were top-20 in all four:
Haliburton (avg = 7.75)
Tatum (avg = 10.5)
Jarrett Allen (avg = 12)
Evan Mobley (avg = 13.25)
Sengun (avg = 16)
I think he’s a star, but more of a high end elite Robin. He’s not someone you can give the ball as a go to guy unless he can play bully ball, which probably won’t work against the better teams. But the impact he makes overall would qualify him as a star IMO.
gunks
Hall of Famer
Who is after Robin? Alfred? I think Domas could be a good Alfred. 3rd best player on a team would take a lot of pressure off of him and he'd get back to doing what he does best.
We need two players better than him to be competitive in the West. Zach and Demar ain't it either, so it'll be interesting to see what our new FO does.
Padrino
All-Star
Y'all need to be able to distinguish between tiers of stardom in the NBA. Is Domas in that uppermost tier of star? The kind that get you into the playoffs by virtue of their presence alone? No. Obviously not. But there aren't a lot of guys like that across the whole league. You can usually count them on one hand. In some eras, you won't even need all five of your fingers. But Domas is a star. Unquestionably. It's perhaps a worthwhile debate to determine if he's in the second or third tier of NBA stardom, but the notion that he's "not a star" because he hasn't yet achieved sustainable playoff success is ludicrous. James Harden has a long track record of biffing it in the biggest moments and letting his teams down in the playoffs. That doesn't mean he hasn't been a "star" throughout his career. The guy won MVP.
There's plenty of second- and third-tier All-Star and All-NBA talent in the NBA that can keep you in the hunt, and that can win in the playoffs when surrounded by complementary talent. Most winning teams have at least one of these guys, sometimes two of these guys, and they're hoping that things break right for a deep playoff run. Indiana, for example, has had the enormously good fortune of their opponents experiencing awful injury luck last post-season and this post-season. Things broke right last year, and they made the ECF. Things are breaking right for a second year in a row, so now they're set up for another possible ECF appearance. Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam aren't in that upper tier of stardom. But they're good enough that, with the right matchups and/or a bit of fortunate injury luck, they can mount a serious run at reaching the Finals.
There's plenty of second- and third-tier All-Star and All-NBA talent in the NBA that can keep you in the hunt, and that can win in the playoffs when surrounded by complementary talent. Most winning teams have at least one of these guys, sometimes two of these guys, and they're hoping that things break right for a deep playoff run. Indiana, for example, has had the enormously good fortune of their opponents experiencing awful injury luck last post-season and this post-season. Things broke right last year, and they made the ECF. Things are breaking right for a second year in a row, so now they're set up for another possible ECF appearance. Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam aren't in that upper tier of stardom. But they're good enough that, with the right matchups and/or a bit of fortunate injury luck, they can mount a serious run at reaching the Finals.
Lets put it this way. If Domas isn't a star, then the only "stars" in the NBA are Jokic/Giannis/Steph/Ant/Luka/SGA
QWERTYLICIOUS
Starter
This is probably the bestest-ish post I've seen in quite a while!!! I don't necessarily think we need more than 1 true star (as you kind of elude to in your post). I think what's more important for a franchise like us (small market being considered) is our ability to find complimentary pieces to put around that 1 true star. It's not necessarily the LeBrons of the league, or the Lukas of the league, who win you the championship. It's also, and more often than not, the complimentary pieces that make the difference.
More than 1 true star would be nice, absolutely! But, we can make it work with 1 (true) star as long as we find the right complimentary pieces to put around him.
Insomniacal Fan
Starter
A star is a role, not a level. Domas is a star for us, Fox was, Buddy was... and in the darkest days John Salmons was.
It's about the team's gameplan being based on maximizing the particular abilities of a player; it's not about whether that's a recipe for success
It's about the team's gameplan being based on maximizing the particular abilities of a player; it's not about whether that's a recipe for success
Joshyjosh31
Starter
Sabonis isnt even on the same tier as Mitchell, Haliburton, Paulo , AD, or even Trae Young. Those guys you mentioned are superstars Sabonis has no business being a number two unless you want to be a play-in team which it seems most here are ok with
Do you think Sabonis is a top 20 player?
Joshyjosh31
Starter
Star putting up 12/7/2 comical that’s what AD puts up in a half Sengun put up 17/11/5 as a 22 year old first option in his first playoffs. Yes he shot bad but he wasn’t shying away from shooting like Sabonis
SacTownKid
Hall of Famer
Yeah, the terminology is whatever, but in terms of carrying a team like a star, they are definitely on a whole other tier. Domas is a bit like Harrison Barnes, super efficient but most of that is because Domas just limits himself from doing the things he can't really be relied upon to do. When a team needs that next gear, so far it hasn't been there. If the Kings keep it as is and continue to build around Domas all questions will be answered about his level of play if they haven't been already.
SacTownKid
Hall of Famer
This is what sucks about "positionless" bball. Simply the fact that Domas plays center used to be a big factor in this type of argument along with All star nods. In looking up and down the NBA list of scoring leaders Domas being 38th looks about right. He's maybe somewhere in that Julius Randle area in terms of stardom. Randle being a more versatile point producer though.
Yes. Show me how he isn't, statistically
I'll happily change my mind if you're able to do so
ShastaKingsFan
All-Star
It goes beyond the numbers
Let's try out the new tables function by putting Domas up against these 5 guys in some advanced stats over the last four years (since he's been in Sac) vs. these guys' last four years and see where he stands:
| Player | PER | WS | WS/48 | BPM | VORP | TS% | TRB% | AST% |
| Sabonis | 23.1 | 36.6 | .204 | 5.7 | 16.6 | .649 | 21.3 | 30.2 |
| Don. Mitchell | 21.9 | 30.1 | .163 | 5.0 | 15.7 | .589 | 7.4 | 25.2 |
| Haliburton | 22.5 | 30.2 | .193 | 6.1 | 15.4 | .616 | 6.3 | 42.9 |
| Banchero (3y) | 17.1 | 11.1 | .079 | 0.8 | 4.9 | .542 | 11.8 | 22.6 |
| A. Davis | 26.0 | 32.0 | .199 | 5.2 | 14.1 | .607 | 18.8 | 15.3 |
| T. Young | 21.5 | 27.0 | .131 | 2.9 | 12.2 | .582 | 4.9 | 45.2 |
So it turns out you're right! Sabonis is not even on the same tier as any of those players!
So the best players in the league aren't the best players because of the monster stats they put up? Who knew?
"yEaH bUt nOt cLuTcH"
lol, sometimes man. People simply can't stand having good players on this team.
Joshyjosh31
Starter
Someone already put up Sabonis 12/7/3 pathetic playoff stats
Nobody said he’s not a good player he’s a good player so is Austin Reeves that doesn’t make them stars
If you think he’s a star you’re not gonna change your mind he puts up stats and we all know that but he won’t and can’t score or create for others. And yes someone will bring up his APG that a large part comes from DHO
Sabonis isn’t on the same tier is anyone on that group if we can’t even agree on that then I don’t know what to say. There isn’t a single GM taking Sabonis over Young and he’s probably the worst player on that list, this is madness. All those guys have been the best player and creator/scorer on teams they’ve lead to the playoffs. Sabonis will never be that guy
ShastaKingsFan
All-Star
My view of him, is that he's a great rebounder,... but unfortunately some of his offensive numbers are neutralized by him not being a real effective defensive player. The approach of building a team around him as "the hub", is something I'm not at all convinced of, in terms of good odds to advance in the playoffs.
I have a very similar view of Zach Lavine, with his pros and cons. Put them together as your franchise players and it would be dishonest to say that I'm optimistic about the situation
You're right, really don't know what to say either. Takes an "interesting" person to see data right in front of them and still hold true to their "beliefs" over it.
Joshyjosh31
Starter
I don’t believe you can be a star and not be a scorer/playmaker especially when you’re a bad defender. Sengun is a better player simply cause houston can give him the ball and say go create us points
Huh, weird. B-Ball ref must be broken since Domas is better in every single category
gunks
Hall of Famer
I'll say this: while I don't consider Domas a star, primarily due to his career spanning and precipitous decline in play in the post-season, I DO think he's currently our best player. His regular season stats (both counting and advanced)) are legit and I've seen him impact plenty of games. Regular season.
Interesting. When did you ask them? Were they taking into account current contract status or was it more of a generic "who'd you rather have to build a team around?" question?
Tetsujin
The Game Thread Dude
Probably asked them the same time he was getting proof that Dallas gave the Lakers Luka as part of a conspiracy.
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