The Sacramento Kings came up short in the NBA Draft Lottery on Monday night, with their pick landing at No. 13—just outside the top-12 protection threshold. As a result, the selection conveys to the Atlanta Hawks. With the draft order now set, attention around the league shifts to which prospects will land where and which superstar players could be on the move in what’s shaping up to be a potentially busy offseason.
Much of the trade buzz this offseason will likely center around Giannis Antetokounmpo, especially following reports that he’s “open-minded” about the possibility of playing elsewhere next season. Kevin Durant is another marquee name to watch, as signs continue to point toward a potential split between him and the Phoenix Suns.
While the Sacramento Kings don’t have a superstar quite on that level, they could still be active on the trade market. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, veteran wing DeMar DeRozan could be on the move as new general manager Scott Perry looks to reshape the roster.
“The focus in the California capital shifts now to what sort of dealing we could see from the Kings’ new regime,” Fischer wrote. “There has been no shortage of rumbles, since the hiring of Scott Perry as general manager, that Sacramento is expected to gauge the trade market for veteran swingman DeMar DeRozan.”
DeMar DeRozan doesn’t appear to align with the Kings’ current timeline or roster construction—especially now that he’s reunited with Zach LaVine, a duo that failed to gain traction during their time together in Chicago. If Sacramento is serious about building around Domantas Sabonis and making a return to playoff contention in the Western Conference, moving on from DeRozan seems like the logical next step.
The trade market for DeRozan, however, is unclear. His game—centered around isolation scoring and mid-range play—doesn’t mesh well with many modern NBA cores that prioritize spacing and pace. On top of that, his decline on the defensive end further complicates his fit on a contender, as any team acquiring him would need to surround him with the right personnel to cover his shortcomings.
That combination is likely to lower his trade value, but even so, the Kings are expected to explore what kind of return they can get for the veteran wing as they reshape the roster under new leadership.