DeMar DeRozan joined the Sacramento Kings last season via sign-and-trade, hoping to finish the sunset of his career in Sacramento. But with Scott Perry and his new front office now in charge, it seems like DeRozan might be out of Sacramento. What are the trade options for the Kings and DeMar? Let’s take a look at potential destinations.
DeMar DeRozan Trade Options – Top 5 Teams To Watch
You cannot blame DeRozan for the way the Kings’ season ended. He was traded into an uncomfortable situation, with too many players needing the ball. Yet, he managed to average 22.2 points on efficient shooting, 47.7% from the floor. The pairing was not good to begin with, but the Kings believed that he could solve some of their late-game scoring situations. According to Jake Fischer, the Kings will explore potential trade options involving DeMar DeRozan. He said,
“The focus in the California capital shifts now to what sort of dealing we could see from the Kings’ new regime. 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.”
With that in mind, let’s explore some potential options. Before we move into possible destinations, let’s talk about his salary. He is 35 years old with two years left on his contract, one at $24.7 million and $25.7 million.
Can He Finally Join the Lakers?
When you talk about DeRozan trade options, the Lakers always come into the discussion. DeMar and the Los Angeles Lakers have crossed paths several times, and at one point, he believed it was a done deal and they would trade for him. After so many opportunities have passed, it is hard to imagine DeRozan in a Lakers uniform. Even more, Los Angeles has Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and they are already trying to figure out who gets the ball. The Lakers will surely not trade Reaves for DeRozan.
If DeMar somehow decides to turn into a role player, similar to how Russell Westbrook has changed his career, he can be a good bench player. But the problem with DeRozan is that he is not a good three-point shooter. And with Luka and LeBron James, you need “lasers”.
Are the Clippers an Option?
The Los Angeles Clippers might be a team to watch for DeRozan. Depending on what they do with James Harden and Norman Powell, the Clippers might need another scorer. The challenge for the Clippers is that they lack contracts that can match his salary to send to Sacramento. They need all of their higher-salary players, and it is hard to see them sending one of them for DeMar.
The Knicks Need Bench Help
Throughout the regular season, the New York Knicks were dead last in bench points at only 21.7 per game. The Lakers were the second-worst team on that list with 26.2 per game. The Knicks are top-heavy, and if they decide to get another scorer, they can certainly pack some contracts. Mitchell Robinson would be the odd man out in that case, as he has a $13 million contract for next season.
Philly Goes All-In Again
The Philadelphia 76ers will be one of the more intriguing teams to watch during the offseason. They managed to keep their pick in the draft, but they now have to make a decision. Will they go deeper into the luxury tax to try and win in the next two years? Or will they try to get young and rebuild around Tyrese Maxey?
They have two players with player options for next season, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Eric Gordon. They were their bench veterans. If they decide to opt out, Philly might be in play for DeRozan. What happens with Quentin Grimes will also play a role.
The Magic Needs to Do Something
The Orlando Magic have to do something this offseason. They cannot run it back and hope for better results. Yes, they had some good stretches this season when healthy. But in the playoffs, it showed they desperately need another scoring option, someone who can create his own shot.
The Magic will surely love to get someone like Kevin Durant. But if they miss out on the big names on the market, DeRozan would be a good consolation prize. They have plenty of contracts to make a trade work, and could be desperate to upgrade their talent.
Featured image: © Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
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