Domantas Sabonis on 'inevitable' trade and Valanciunas' help to Ukrainians / News - Basketnews.com

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Two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis, who moved from Pacers to Sacramento Kings before the NBA trades' deadline, talked to Sam Amick of The Athletic.

3-pointers this season

34%11,4Points made:11,4Accuracy:34,2%Place in standings:22Record max:22Record min:6Most made 3FGs:Buddy HieldTeamNBAStatisticsSchedule

They touched on several topics, including the pre-trade situation, ambitions in Kings, and outgoing war in Ukraine.

A month has passed since the Kings shocked the basketball world by trading Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson to Indiana in exchange for Sabonis, Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb, and a 2023 second-round pick.

In 11 games with Sacramento, Sabonis is averaging 17.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 5.9 assists.

According to the Lithuanian big man, he is happy being a part of Sacramento's squad.

"I'm excited about the whole journey. It sucks that Kings have that (playoff) drought, but the fact that we can be part of something that can turn it around, you know, that's the goal. Come in and change the perspective of this organization and what people think.

We're excited that we can be part of that and build it. So, I want to stay as long as I can. Everything has to go well, but I'm happy here. It's awesome. The fans are great. I'm excited to see us do good," Sabonis said.

The 25-year-old also revealed that his move to another team at the trade deadline was "inevitable".

"With the rumors going on, and that article that came out in December, that changed all of our players' mindset, like, 'Oh, we don't know what's going to happen.'

Your name has been out there (with other teams in trade discussions), so we never had that full confidence that nothing was going to happen. As the season went on, we weren't winning more games, you have injuries, COVID, and everything. So it just seemed inevitable," admitted the double-double machine.

Sacramento Kings / Schedule

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Moreover, Sabonis was asked about the war in Ukraine, which is happening not too far from his homeland - Lithuania. The two-time All-Star mentioned, how he and his fellow Jonas Valanciunas are trying to help Ukrainian people.

"We're on it all day — living it. We have friends and everything in Ukraine, and it's tough. It's not been affecting us directly in our country yet, but all of our doctors are helping. I think it was in the first six or 10 days of the attack, the Lithuanians donated $10 million there.

People are sending food. For all the kids who are coming to Lithuania, we're home-schooling them. A whole lot is going on, and the countries are helping each other. Everyone's scared that if the Russian president takes over Ukraine that he's going to try and take over all the USSR again and then spark World War III.

We're trying to do as much as we can, either donating money or sending supplies. For example, JV (Jonas Valanciunas) just sent two cars over to Ukraine, where the people use them for missions and stuff. Whatever they need. So there are all these little things where you can help, that they need. There's no food, no water. I mean, it's just completely terrible," Domantas Sabonis finished.

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