During the 2024 NBA offseason, the Sacramento Kings traded Harrison Barnes and a 2031 first-round pick to the San Antonio Spurs to clear cap space for signing DeMar DeRozan. Barnes agreed to waive his trade kicker as a gesture to his new team and went on to have a career-best season from three-point range while starting all 82 games for San Antonio.
Ahead of the trade deadline, the Spurs acquired All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox from the Kings for minimal assets—a move that effectively dashed Sacramento’s playoff chances.
The Kings haven’t fared well in their recent dealings with the Spurs, but they’ll have a chance to turn things around this offseason.
As the Spurs continue building around Victor Wembanyama, their roster is nearly complete—but a reliable backup center remains a key missing piece. Zach Collins, Bismack Biyombo, and Charles Bassey have each had opportunities, yet none proved capable of handling a significant role during Wembanyama’s absences.
Jonas Valančiūnas ranks among the top backup big men in the NBA and could potentially even complement Wembanyama in a dual-big lineup. However, given their past dealings with San Antonio, the Kings would be determined not to be on the losing end again and would likely demand a substantial return in any trade involving Valančiūnas.
Proposed Mock Trade
Kings receive:
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Malaki Branham
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Blake Wesley
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2025 second-round pick
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2030 pick swap (most favorable of DAL or MIN)
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2031 first-round pick swap (originally from SAC, returned)
Spurs receive: Jonas Valančiūnas
In this deal, the Kings part with some frontcourt depth but gain two young guards in return. Blake Wesley, in particular, flashed potential late last season, averaging 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals over his final 20 games despite limited playing time.
While this trade isn’t a win-now move for Sacramento, it does free up cap space that could be used to sign a veteran backup center behind Domantas Sabonis. Clint Capela and Brook Lopez are two names that could fit that role.