Kings take new look on the road to face Wizards

Two teams that walked away from the trade deadline with new big men go head-to-head Saturday night when the Sacramento Kings visit the Washington Wizards.

Sacramento got a jump on the 12th-hour trade participants when it acquired Domantas Sabonis from the Indiana Pacers in a six-player deal Tuesday.

The two-time All-Star made an immediate impact for the Kings, contributing 22 points and 14 rebounds to a 132-119 home win Wednesday night over a Minnesota Timberwolves‘ team that had thumped Sacramento 134-114 the day before.

The Kings, who were outrebounded 49-38 before Sabonis arrived Tuesday, turned the tables big-time on the Timberwolves to the tune of 51-34 in the rematch.

«He’s a monster; he’s like an ox,» Sabonis’ new teammate, De’Aaron Fox said.

While not thrilled to have given up promising young guard Tyrese Haliburton in the deal, Kings fans immediately made Sabonis feel right at home.

«I have goosebumps. The welcome here is crazy,» Sabonis said immediately after the win as fans continued to shout encouragement. «We’re going to come here and fight for this team and fight for this franchise.»

Sabonis found himself speaking also for Justin Holiday and Jeremy Lamb, two others acquired from the Pacers in the deal.

Holiday was thrust into Haliburton’s starting spot and responded with six points and four assists. Asked to help fill the void of 3-point shooting specialist Buddy Hield, who went to Indiana in the trade, Lamb made three triples in an impressive 14-point, six-rebound, five-assist performance.

The Wizards likewise landed three new players at the deadline, including Kristaps Porzingis from the Dallas Mavericks in a deal that saw Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans leave Washington.

«Kristaps is an All-Star player whose unique talents will fit well within our system and allow him to impact the game for us in multiple ways,» Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard said of the high-priced acquisition. «He will get a fresh start with our team and provide us with the opportunity to play multiple lineups that feature size, versatility and shooting ability.»

Porzingis, who averaged 19.2 points and 7.7 rebounds in 34 games for the Mavericks this season, has missed the last six games with a bruised right knee. The Wizards have yet to offer an indication when he might be able to debut for them.

Washington also acquired veteran Ish Smith and 20-year-old big man Vernon Carey Jr. on Thursday.

Each currently sitting just below the threshold for qualifying for the NBA play-in tournament in their respective conference with still two months remaining in the regular season, the Kings and Wizards will be meeting for the second time this year. Sacramento got 28 points from Fox and 19 from Harrison Barnes in a 119-105 home win when the clubs dueled in California in December.

Bradley Beal went for 30 points for Washington in the loss, but he has since been lost for the season due to an injured left wrist that will require surgery.

–Field Level Media