Domantas Sabonis is due for quite the payday after agreeing to a new five-year, $217 million contract renegotiation and extension with the Kings.
However, the All-Star center reportedly turned down even more cash to ensure Sacramento's future.
In announcing Sabonis' new deal Saturday night, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski also reported, citing team officials, that the big man isn't taking a slight pay cut, instead discussing with Kings leadership "his desire to prioritize the franchise's roster-building flexibility over fully maximizing his earnings."
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Wojnarowski provided further contract details, reporting the Kings are using current salary cap space to deliver an additional $8.6 million to raise Sabonis' 2023-2024 earnings to $30.6 million. The reworked deal includes a four-year extension that will give Sabonis nearly $200 million more over the life of his contract.
The 27-year-old is coming off his first full season in Sacramento and arguably had his best year yet, leading the NBA in rebounds and double-doubles while averaging 19.1 points, 12.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. After helping Sacramento reach its first NBA playoff appearance in 17 years this past postseason, Sabonis, De'Aaron Fox and the rest of the Kings will look to return in 2023-24.
The Kings and general manager Monte McNair have been hard at work since the NBA free agency negotiating window opened Friday, reportedly striking a deal with EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov, re-signing Harrison Barnes to a three-year contract and reportedly bringing back both Alex Len and Trey Lyles.
Securing Sabonis for the next five seasons is Sacramento's biggest move yet of the offseason, and there could be more to come, thanks to his team-first mentality.