**San Antonio Spurs Acquire Former Dallas Maverick in Sign-And-Trade**
In a significant move late Saturday, the Sacramento Kings completed a sign-and-trade deal to acquire six-time All-Star and California native, DeMar DeRozan, from the Chicago Bulls. DeRozan, who spent the last three seasons in Chicago, will join Sacramento on a three-year, $74 million contract, bringing him closer to home.
As part of the trade, Sacramento sent former Dallas Maverick Harrison Barnes to the San Antonio Spurs. Barnes, who played two and a half seasons in Dallas and was part of Luka Doncic’s early NBA career, is expected to integrate well with San Antonio’s rising star, Victor Wembanyama.
Barnes’ tenure in Dallas saw him average 18.7 points per game over 205 games, his best scoring stretch in the NBA. Since his 2019 trade deadline move to Sacramento, in exchange for Justin Jackson and Zach Randolph, Barnes has not surpassed 16.4 points per game in a season. The Spurs are optimistic that Barnes will contribute effectively to their rebuilding efforts, trading Devonte Graham to Charlotte to facilitate the deal.
San Antonio’s potential starting lineup now includes Chris Paul, Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, Jeremy Sochan, and Victor Wembanyama, with a bench featuring Stephon Castle and Keldon Johnson. This revamped roster aims to make a push for the Play-In tournament this season.
The trade also saw Chicago receive Chris Duarte and future second-round picks. The big question for Sacramento remains whether DeRozan can elevate the Kings into Western Conference contenders, given his proficiency in mid-range scoring but limited floor spacing, which could be an issue alongside Domantas Sabonis.
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