Sabonis Off the Block and Into the Shuffle

     When Doug Christie leapt from assistant to head coach, few expected him to tinker so boldly with his star big man. But now, early reports from training camp reveal a subtle but potentially seismic change in how Domantas Sabonis will be used, not as the classic “dunker” posting under the rim, but as a more active, perimeter pivot.

In his new offensive vision, Christie wants to free Sabonis from the shadows of the paint and move him into more space, think elbows, wings, and the high post, where he can orchestrate, penetrate, or hit shots. The idea is to force defenses to choose between chasing him off the arc or conceding room inside. Christie recently teased this evolution, saying that Sabonis can make plays from the elbow and the post, and that the team plans to play through that and allow him to make plays.

Sabonis, for his part, sounds eager. He said the shift allows him to do what he does best on offense, getting guys open more frequently instead of being under the rim. He acknowledged that as an undersized big in the dunker spot he’s not always a threat on the block, but on the perimeter he becomes a more dynamic creator who can drive, kick, shoot, or orchestrate.

This isn’t just a change of scenery. It’s a throwback to the elite Kings of the early 2000s with Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, and Christie himself running a read-and-react offense out of the high post, with constant motion and spacing. The strategy lets Sabonis pivot as a hub, giving him options rather than trapping him in the dunker’s duty.

But it won’t be instantaneous. Christie has cautioned that such an offense can’t be rigid. He referenced lessons from the late Pete Carril, who preached that players need actions that invite decision-making but also the awareness to read the defense and improvise when the moment demands. “Watch the guy in front of you; he’ll tell you what to do,” Christie said.

The biggest payoff is that if this works, Sabonis becomes harder to guard. Opposing bigs might hesitate to chase him outside, which leaves open driving lanes for wings like Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, or Keon Ellis. Or they stay home, and Sabonis can shoot or dish freely. It’s an invitation to play chess rather than checkers.

The flip side is the risk of losing offensive rebounding or interior presence. Sabonis has long been among the league’s most active rebounders, and shifting him away from the rim may require other players or rotations to pick up that slack. Some fans already wonder whether this move will cost second-chance opportunities.

Yet the motivational aspect can’t be ignored. Sabonis had a standout 2024–25 season, averaging roughly 19.1 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 6.0 assists, with a 59 percent field goal rate and 41.7 percent from three. But his assist total dropped from prior seasons, and many believe his playmaking was underused.

With the new system, he can reclaim that facilitating role. He said he worked on speeding his release this offseason to make his perimeter game more threatening. If he can prove that shot is no mere gimmick, defenses will have to respect it, and that opens lanes for everyone.

In some sense, this is Christie staking a claim. He’s not just inheriting a roster; he wants to design its DNA. He’s trusting that Sabonis, now seasoned and confident, can carry more of the load in offense. And for a team seeking a clearer identity under a new general manager, few bets are bolder or more intriguing than turning the team’s best man into the offense’s central conductor.

Sacramento fans should not expect this to click overnight. But if Christie can mold the spacing, reads, and personnel around Sabonis smartly, the Kings may find themselves with an offense that’s both prettier and harder to stop. And in a Western Conference where margins are razor-thin, disrupting conventional spacing might just be the edge they need.