Kings center Domantas Sabonis has been suspended without pay by the NBA for one game, the league announced today in a press release. Sabonis will serve his suspension on Wednesday when the Kings host the Nuggets in Sacramento.
According to the NBA, Sabonis’ suspension stems from an incident that occurred during the fourth quarter of Sacramento’s loss to the Knicks on Monday.
After being hit with a technical foul for his reaction to a foul call, Sabonis “reacted demonstratively again in the vicinity of the game official, and approached and bumped the official in a hostile manner,” per the league. He was assessed a second technical and ejected from the game.
The NBA posted a video of the incident on its website.
The suspension will cost Sabonis $127,586, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). That amount is 1/145th of the 25-year-old’s $18.5MM base salary for 2021/22.
With center Richaun Holmes also unavailable on Wednesday for personal reasons, the Kings will be without their top two centers when they take on Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. Chimezie Metu and Damian Jones will likely take on increased roles. Alex Len could also see action, though he hasn’t been part of Sacramento’s regular rotation for nearly two months.
I would be mad to at getting trading to Sacramento
Yeah the Pacers looked like a real contender this year
Sabonis got schooled by Randle, and he went nuts. It certainly looks like the Kings traded for the wrong player. Randle is better. Hailburton should be a Knick, instead of being a Pacer. Knicks had more draft picks to offer than Indiana. Shocked the Pacers took Buddy Hield’s long term deal back.
I am afraid to say my friend that as good as JR is… Sabonis is a complete different level, can’t compare them, like at all!
This year JR is probably a top 40 player… Sabonis a top 10, as simple as!
This situation will be spiraling out of control in 5…4…3…
Sabonis was complaining about the same thing Jason Tatum was complaining about so much several days ago… An appearance of pushing (if not actual pushing) when an opponent takes off for the rim.
How about NOT pushing someone when they jump OR looking like you pushed. Sabonis was only pushing from the side but still. The only objective can be to send someone crashing at height and speed and maybe cause injury.
The push from Tatum was borderline dirty since he pushed in the lower back in the same direction as both running. So Tatum gets worked up over a dirty play, and then I thought he got away with some colliding for and-1s in a 50 point game on ABC.
I doubt Tatum pushed much, and there were harder pushes not called, but those were not dangerous. Why did he stick his arm out at all if he was innocent? Refs have to keep calling it even tho I.Quickly dove for effect on Sabonis.
These guys act like refs are not supposed to call these, like they have slo-mo in their head and can gauge the impact. Players shpuld not stick their hand on someone ahead of them. It does no good anyway.
I hope no change is in effect.
The sociology of fandom in sports interest me. Sabonis clearly 100% from 3 angles, walks too close to the ref.
Bumps him barely. Even if not intent. (He wasn’t pushed or tripped). It isn’t good. But many fans think it didn’t happen still. His coach defends him not getting a suspension.
If it happened to the other team and wasn’t called a technical, the same coach would be going insane for the non-call contact on a ref. Sports is so strange.
If people had no vested interest, and saw a video of something occur of no interest. 99% agree something occurred or didnt. If its sports, there is usually no more than 75% agreement on anything.
I disagree :p