NEWSLETTER
Three days into free agency, DeMar DeRozan’s future has only gotten cloudier.
The six-time All-Star has seen his options quickly dwindle. The Philadelphia 76ers landed Paul George. The Los Angeles Clippers. have gone on to add a slew of role players. The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to give LeBron James a two-year max. The Miami Heat have extremely limited cap flexibility (although, may be considered the slight favorite right now, per The Athletic’s Jovan Buha).
Talks have now reached the point where many are wondering if DeRozan will have to accept a one-year, prove-it deal on a mid-level exception. And that sure feels shocking after being one of the league’s premier closers during the last three seasons.
You can’t help but feel for the veteran. He has been one of the most reliable and professional players in the NBA, making an unwatchable team watchable for the last two seasons. Few players can single-handedly finish out games for you like DeRozan can, and he deserves to be in an environment that can make the most out of his elite scoring ability.
The good news for DeRozan is that he’s experienced firsthand how fast things can change in the NBA. Leaning toward a discounted deal in 2021 with both LA teams, the Chicago Bulls swooped in last minute and paid up. There is always a chance this same scenario plays out over the next couple of days, and ESPN’s Marc J. Spears named one team that could play the role of the Bulls.
DeMar DeRozan to the Kings?
During a segment during NBA Today on Tuesday, Spears name-dropped the Sacramento Kings as a “dark horse” candidate for DeRozan. NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson went on to re-share this report on Wednesday morning, noting that Spears was the first to connect the Bulls and DeRozan back in 2021. He also reported that Kevin Huerter has been on Chicago’s radar.
All things considered, the Kings’ interest in DeRozan makes sense. The team missed the playoff in 2023-24 after breaking their 16-year-long draught the year prior. With All-Stars De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis on the roster, they have a clear motive to stay competitive.
However, all the team has done so far this offseason is to re-sign Malik Monk and trade a couple of their role players to open up some financial flexibility. That’s surely not enough to remain a clear part of the playoff picture in a tight Western Conference. This is why Sacramento has already been rumored as a possible landing spot for both Zach LaVine and Brandon Ingram. The LaVine rumors, in particular, were surprisingly loud over the last couple of weeks.
The small market team would be taking a big risk by adding either LaVing or Ingram. The former has an AAV of $43.0 million, while the latter will make $36.0 million next season before hitting unrestricted free agency (meaning the Kings would have to pay to retain him). With that in mind, why wouldn’t they consider a cheaper option that packs just as much of a scoring punch?
To be sure DeRozan’s fit in Sacramento isn’t obvious. They like to play an uptempo brand of basketball and chuck plenty of 3s (finished 4th in 3-point attempts per game last year). At the same time, they are an offensive-minded unit that already has one of the best 4th-quarter players in the game in De’Aaron Fox. Adding DeRozan’s veteran presence into the mix would make them one of the most dangerous crunch-time squads.
Still, the big question for the Kings is how would they pull this off. While they have seemingly been open to moving both Harrison Barnes ($18.0 million) and Kevin Huerter ($16.8 million) to create space for another big-name player, the Bulls can’t accept back either in a sign-and-trade. They are only a little over $13.0 million away from the luxury tax, so they would need to offload more salary or the Kings would have to find a third party. This has been the primary issue for the majority of DeRozan’s potential sign-and-trade destinations.
We all know NBA teams can get creative, and I have to imagine the Kings wouldn’t have too hard of a time moving either Barnes or Huerter to another team. But the path toward a new home for DeRozan remains hazy for them and most other interested parties. Let’s hope for his sake that things clear up soon.
