Usually, trades between teams in the NBA don’t happen right before the regular season gets underway, but this year seems to be the exception, with a couple of deals having been made recently, including one that went down on Monday.
The big move was by the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves, with Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo joining forces with superstar guard Anthony Edwards, while veteran center Karl-Anthony Towns was sent to the Big Apple to play alongside Jalen Brunson.
That blockbuster trade sent shockwaves throughout the league because it was between two potential title contenders in opposite conferences and could result in both these teams getting another boost in their attempt to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy at the end of the season.
On Monday, the San Antonio Spurs and Sacramento Kings made an unexpected trade, with Jalen McDaniels being dealt to Gregg Popovich’s squad in a move that only involved one player and a second-round draft pick, who is expected to be waived, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
Spurs plan to waive McDaniels, sources said, while Kings open roster flexibility for a potential addition down the line. McDaniels has averaged 6.9 points and 3.3 rebounds over his first five NBA seasons. https://t.co/aAhGazE6kW
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 14, 2024
This isn’t a game-changing move for either team, but it could mean that the Kings might have plans to do something in the near future, especially with Sacramento potentially making some noise in the Western Conference this season with the addition of veteran guard DeMar DeRozan, who they signed in free agency over the summer.
As for the Spurs, San Antonio is trying to put more talent around Victor Wembanyama and was able to sign veteran guard Chris Paul, but likely have a long way to go before putting it together and being a legitimate threat in a deep West.
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