Redrafting the 2016 NBA Draft

Domantas Sabonis has never really been with a team that fully maximizes his unique skill set. Least of all the Pacers, who started him next to another center for years. And yet, the son of Hall of Fame center Arvydas Sabonis has made two All-Star appearances and blazed his own NBA trail with remarkable success.

There is still the unanswered question of how far can a Sabonis team go? He was the best player in Indiana for a time. Now he’s the best player in Sacramento. While Sabonis is a brilliant offensive talent who consistently elevates the teammates around him, he does come with his share of shortcomings — mainly on defense, where his lack of length and lateral quickness can be a death knell in certain matchups. Can he be the best (or more realistically the second-best) player on a contending team?

Unfortunately, it may take a while for us to truly know Sabonis’ competitive ceiling. The Kings are cemented in mediocrity. So far, Sabonis has been a victim of unfortunate circumstances more than anything else. If he’s never surrounded by good enough teammates, how can we know if he’s title-winning material?

One has to account for the defensive concerns when determining the order of this re-draft, but Sabonis’ offensive brilliance overcomes a lot. He’s the most prolific and creative big man passer not named Nikola Jokic. He’s also a bruising and balletic post scorer. Sabonis has even stretched his range out to the 3-point line over time. Factor in his dominant presence on the glass, and Sabonis ranks as one of the best bigs in the NBA.