Wizards all but confirm Spurs perfect target will be traded by deadline

The stars are aligning for the Spurs to shine at the trade deadline with a very necessary and reportedly affordable acquisition. David Aldridge and Josh Robbins have co-written an article for the Athletic revealing that the Washington Wizards are ready to part ways with Jonas Valanciunas. The best part of this report is that it may only take two second-round picks to get a deal done.

San Antonio has an absurd number of second-round picks from now until 2031. 19 of them, to be exact. They have a pressing need at the backup center position, and a physical presence behind Victor Wembanyama is exactly what they should be looking for. Valanciunas can provide that, bringing more physicality and efficiency around the basket when Wemby needs a rest.

Spurs should move on from Collins as soon as possible

I think it's safe to say that Zach Collins is having the worst season of his career. His scoring average is his lowest since his rookie season, he's rebounding at a career-low rate, his shooting percentages are down across the board, and he's playing fewer minutes than ever. This is a player who, when first acquired, was expected to be a starter. He's now sitting out games as a healthy scratch.

Collins didn't forget how to play basketball, but his confidence here seems to have been irreparably fractured. He needs a fresh start, and the Spurs need a backup center they can rely on to give them anything with some consistency. There's no telling whether the Wizards would want Zach in return, but they could either find a third team to involve or make a separate trade altogether.

Charles Bassey has been solid at times, awesome once or twice, but mostly lackluster. He's a solid big to have on the bench for added depth, but again, the guy behind Wemby needs to bring more than occasional energy.

Sandro Mamukelashvili is a fan favorite, but if the Silver and Black want to play him, they would have him on the floor now. He's cheap, great for the locker room, and having him around is also good for depth, teams normally only play about nine to ten guys anyway, so those last positions can be used with flexibility.

Valanciunas would be an immediate upgrade to San Antonio's bench. The Wizards big averaged 11.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. He shoots 55.8% from the field and has never shot below 53% in any season. He doesn't shoot many threes, nor is he good at them, but he won't be sharing the floor with Wemby, so that's fine.

As the Spurs improve the roster, they should prioritize finding shooters to put on the wing, helping the necessary space for the bench unit to be optimized. His defense wasn't great, but some of that is playing on the worst team in the league. The Wizards are 6-23 with the worst defensive and offensive ratings in the league. He only plays 19 minutes a game, so we're not putting that all on him.

We've seen firsthand the damage Valanciunas can do. He's never been the focal point of an offense, yet he averages 16.8 points against San Antonio on 62.8% from the field and 42.4% from three despite his 34.4% career average from deep. The Lithuanian big man would fit right in with the international vibe of the Spurs. Not to mention, he's durable. Jonas played all 82 games last season.

He can be the latest former foe to join forces with San Antonio. Chris Paul was the first, and if we can come together with CP3, welcoming Jonas into the family with open arms should be no sweat.