The Sacramento Kings have had a busy week, as they were part of the second biggest blockbuster trade of this weekend when they sent De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio for Zach LaVine and a number of draft picks in a big three-team deal (that was overshadowed by the Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis stunner).
The Kings do not seem intent on trying to tear things down and rebuild despite trading their star point guard, and instead seem determined to stay in the Play-In hunt out West. That was the idea behind adding LaVine (along with two real first round picks and a third that will almost assuredly become two seconds) and they continued to bolster their roster with veterans on Wednesday before the deadline, acquiring Jonas Valanciunas, who is averaging 11.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game this season, from the Wizards, per Marc Stein, Shams Charania, and Bobby Marks.
Kings get: Jonas Valanciunas
Wizards get: Sidy Cissoko and two second round picks (2028 DEN, 2029 SAC)
Cissoko was part of the Fox trade and will now take one of the longest reroutes one possibly could in the NBA, going from San Antonio to Sacramento for a couple days to now going all the way across the country to Washington, D.C. This was the second trade made by the Wizards on Wednesday, as they sent Kyle Kuzma and Patrick Baldwin Jr. to Milwaukee for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, and a 2028 pick swap. Washington made clear coming into the season that they were still in the tearing things down phase, and have now made good on that promise by trading two of their top veterans ahead of the deadline.
For the Kings, they add some center depth and Domantas Sabonis’ teammate on the Lithuanian national team. While it’s not abundantly clear what the plan is defensively in Sacramento, they do continue to add a lot of offensive players ahead of the deadline and seem determined to try and make the Play-In by winning shootouts in the second half of the season.
