The Kings Coincidentally Have the Funniest Fix to the Pacers Big Man Problem
The possibility of the Sacramento Kings helping the Indiana Pacers fix their big-man problem by trading Domantas Sabonis back to them might be one of the funniest potential storylines the NBA could offer. When the Kings acquired Sabonis in the original trade, they gave up Tyrese Haliburton, a move that immediately sparked backlash throughout the league and from their own fanbase. Many people roasted Sacramento for dealing away a young franchise guard who looked like a future all-star, and the online discourse only grew louder as Haliburton blossomed into one of the league’s brightest playmakers. Meanwhile, Sabonis has performed well in Sacramento, even earning All-NBA recognition at times, but the team’s overall results left many questioning whether the trade truly paid off, because of that history, the idea of Sabonis ending up back in Indiana is hilarious on its own, but even funnier when you imagine him being paired once again with Haliburton, the very player he was traded for.
What makes this scenario even more amusing is how it flips the narrative that once defined both franchises. At the time of the deal, fans claimed the Kings had ruined their future by prioritizing a win-now center over a long-term star guard, while the Pacers were praised for committing to a rebuild with Haliburton as their centerpiece. Yet as the league evolves, Indiana suddenly finds itself needing a more reliable interior presence, and Sacramento finds itself in an awkward situation where Sabonis’s limitations in spacing and rim protection become more evident in high-stakes matchups. It creates a situation where the Pacers might genuinely benefit from having Sabonis back, and the Kings might benefit from restructuring their team even if it means moving on from a player they once viewed as foundational. The irony of that balance, both teams needing what they once had, only adds to the humor of this idea.
The basketball fit is another reason this hypothetical reunion feels both logical and funny. Sabonis and Haliburton would be a good duo with the defending role players Indiana already has in its lineup. With Carlisle at the helm, it would be a good fit, combining Haliburton’s visionary passing with Sabonis’s interior creation and screening. Their chemistry was evident even in their short time together, and many people believed their partnership had the potential to define Indiana’s future for years. Watching them reunite after taking entirely different paths would feel almost like the NBA repairing a timeline it accidentally broke. It would be a twist that feels both improbable and perfectly fitting for how the league tends to deliver its best storylines.
From the Kings’ perspective, making such a trade would be the ultimate expression of self-awareness, whether intentional or not. Sacramento was heavily mocked for the initial deal, and moving Sabonis back to the Pacers would feel like an admission that its critics may have been right. At the same time, it would be hard not to respect a franchise that embraces the absurdity of the situation and uses it to make a practical basketball decision. It would also open the door for the Kings to reshape their roster around players who better fit modern spacing and defensive needs. The decision would be both functional and comedic, a rare combination in the world of NBA roster moves.
For Indiana, reacquiring Sabonis would shift public perception in another amusing way. Fans and analysts once praised the team for moving on from Sabonis to build around Haliburton, and now they might cheer to bring the very same center back at a time when they need frontcourt help. It would show that roster building in the NBA is not linear, predictable, or always logical, but full of unexpected reversals and ironic loops. It could validate both sides of the original argument: Haliburton became a star as predicted, but Sabonis still holds meaningful value in a system designed around his strengths. Bringing them back together would be a basketball reunion that feels both practical and like an inside joke the league would never forget. Letting Myles Turner walk was a mistake, and Sabonis could be an option to fill that need.
Ultimately, the idea of Sabonis returning to the Pacers to solve their big-man issues is funny because it turns a once-controversial trade into the setup for a punchline years later. Both franchises would end up back at the beginning, but with entirely new perspectives and needs. Fans who once argued passionately about who “won” the trade would now have to scramble to rewrite their takes. Beyond the comedy, though, the situation highlights how quickly the NBA changes, how player development reshapes narratives, and how both teams could genuinely benefit from something that seems like a joke at first glance. In the end, it would be a storyline that blends irony, basketball logic, and pure entertainment, precisely the kind of twist the league is known for.
