Sacramento Kings fans must not recognize the feeling of hope they're entering the 2023-24 season with, as it has been way too long since the franchise put up winning team that doesn't sacrifice entertainment value whatsoever. The Kings won over the hearts of many with their breakneck pace, splendid floor-spacing, and dynamic motion-based offense with De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis serving as the team's foundation.

There's certainly merit to building continuity among the members of the Kings roster. Imagine just how much more damage they can conjure up as they learn each other's tendencies in greater detail. Barring any unforeseen injury troubles, the Kings should remain one of the foremost contenders for a playoff spot in the stacked Western Conference this upcoming season.

Nevertheless, it's also fair to ask just how high the ceiling is for this current Kings team. As the old adage goes, defense wins championships, and this Kings team… well, let's just say that they're far from the sturdiest defensive outfit in the league. They put up the worst defense among teams that made the playoffs, allowing 116.0 points per 100 possessions.

The Kings' defensive issues don't appear to be fixable by mere continuity. There needs to be a personnel upgrade to help beef up the team's resistance at the point of attack, especially when the team's rim protection isn't exactly top-notch. So with this area of need in mind, here are two trades the Kings could end up benefitting from in the long run, as painful as it may be to those who have fallen in love with the Beam Team.

Kings pull off long overdue OG Anunoby trade

Kings trade Kevin Huerter and two first-round picks to the Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby

Trading Kevin Huerter after just one season will not sit well at all with Kings fans. Huerter was such a huge part of the Kings' top-ranked offense, as he ran dribble handoffs to sweet, sweet perfection with Domantas Sabonis. The former Atlanta Hawks guard showed that he is more than a sharpshooter, as he was capable of putting the ball on the floor and creating offense for the Kings. He was able to leverage the threat of his deadly jumper (205 triples last year) to knife into the lane and drop some soft tear-drops to pierce the heart of defenses.

But during the 2023 NBA playoffs, Huerter struggled big time. With the Golden State Warriors zeroing in on Red Velvet, Huerter failed to make as much of an impact as he would have liked. The Kings benched him during crucial moments in favor of Malik Monk, as Huerter scuffled to the tune of a ghastly 20.5 percent shooting from deep in their seven-game first-round series loss.

This simply cannot continue for the Kings if they were to build off of last season's results. They will need players who are more matchup-proof, someone who can stay on the floor for the team even if his shot isn't falling — OG Anunoby, for example.

Anunoby rated highly in key defensive metrics last season even though he was always taking on the opposing team's best perimeter player. Perhaps their series against the Warriors would have ended in a different result if they had Anunoby taking on the ever-important Stephen Curry matchup.

The Raptors, of course, are notorious for wanting to gouge other teams in prospective trades. But with the Raptors losing leverage by the second with OG Anunoby inching closer and closer to free agency, perhaps he could become more affordable come February — paving the way for the Kings to potentially acquire him.

Sacramento adds two-way forward depth

Kings acquire Chuma Okeke from the Orlando Magic for Alex Len and Kessler Edwards

The Kings shouldn't stop adding more capable wing defenders to their roster even if they manage to pull off a highly unlikely trade for OG Anunoby. To that end, the Kings would do well by adding Chuma Okeke for a bargain-bin price from the Magic.

During the 2020-21 season, Okeke proved that he was a solid 3 and D option for the Magic at either forward position. Okeke had fast hands which made him a pest in the passing lanes, and he was a capable shooter from deep as well. But Okeke has fallen out of favor in Orlando over the past two seasons. With Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Joe Ingles, and Jett Howard playing key roles for the team next season, the Magic can definitely afford to let Okeke go to a team that could use his services.

Aside from Harrison Barnes, the Kings don't exactly have a 3 and D forward on the roster who could guard at either forward spot. So for a low cost, Chuma Okeke could be a worthwhile addition for them.