The Sacramento Kings made a bold move during the 2024 NBA offseason, trading Harrison Barnes and a future first-round pick to the San Antonio Spurs to clear space for DeMar DeRozan. Barnes has thrived with the Spurs, achieving a career-best 3-point shooting percentage while starting all 82 games. However, the Kings faced a significant setback when they dealt All-Star De'Aaron Fox to the Spurs before the trade deadline, which effectively dashed their playoff aspirations.

Meanwhile, the Spurs are building around their franchise cornerstone, Victor Wembanyama. Although they are on the verge of forming a complete roster, they still lack a reliable backup center. With the likes of Zach Collins and Bismack Biyombo unable to fill that role effectively, the Spurs could target veteran big man Jonas Valančiūnas. A mock trade suggests the Kings could acquire Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley, and future picks in exchange for Valančiūnas, allowing them to focus on younger talent while opening up cap space for a backup center behind Domantas Sabonis.