A new report suggests that there are some in NBA circles who believe the Sacramento Kings should begin considering a DeMar DeRozan trade.
After a pair of winning seasons, the Kings 2024-25 season has been a disaster thus far. As they close in on the new year, the uber-talented team is shockingly six games under .500 and three full games behind the San Antonio Spurs for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference.
Related: Sacramento Kings fire Mike Brown after losing to Pistons
It is why the organization took the bold step of firing head coach Mike Brown over the weekend despite a 107-89 record leading the team. While the Kings still have time to salvage their season, they are going to be linked to a lot of trade speculation in the weeks ahead. And while there have been rumblings of a potential De’Aaron Fox trade, some around the game believe a different star should be on the trade block.
“Some teams have even suggested that the Kings should explore their options with DeMar DeRozan,” NBA insider Jake Fischer wrote in a Substack post this week.
If the Kings actually decided to move the six-time All-Star a few months after making a sign-and-trade deal to acquire him, here are four potential landing spots before February’s deadline.
- DeMar DeRozan stats (2024): 20.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.9 SPG, 30% 3PT
4 potential DeMar DeRozan trade landing spots
Denver Nuggets
There have been rumblings for weeks the Nuggets want to shake up their roster and add an impact piece. With Jamal Murray still struggling this season, Denver badly needs a reliable secondary scorer behind Nikola Jokic. DeMar DeRozan certainly can be that and has the mentality that should fit in well with head coach Mike Malone.
Memphis Grizzlies
With Ja Morant healthy and his off-the-court life fixed, the Memphis Grizzlies have returned to being one of the NBA’s best. But they still seem one big piece away from being a serious title contender in a tough conference. DeRozan would be a great addition to Memphis and could slot into the small forward spot. A starting five featuring Morant, DeRozan, and Desmond Bane is formidable.
- DeMar DeRozan contract: Three years, $73.8 million
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs have taken a nice step forward in Victor Wembanyama’s second season. And future Hall-of-Famer Chris Paul has helped. However, San Antonio needs help to be more than a play-in team. DeRozan has played for Gregg Popovich in the past and they had a good relationship. The 35-year-old would be a big help in taking the scoring load off the young superstar and making them even more of a problem for clubs out West.
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets have been one of the best teams in the league to start the season. Ime Udoka has turned the team’s young stars into a force in the conference. However, they could use more veterans come playoff time. DeRozan could easily slot into the SF spot and push Dillon Brooks to the bench to bolster the second unit. While the franchise has been linked to a Jimmy Butler trade, a swap for DeRozan may be more likely.