So, the deal is that DeMar DeRozan wants off the Sacramento Kings, and the Kings are most certainly done with DeRozan. Since the Toronto Raptors are feeling so nostalgic these days, sending DeRozan home makes sense for his final years and could be really good for the Kings, as well.
DeRozan has only been on the Kings for a couple of seasons, but it has not gone well. First, he joined the team in time for the Mike Brown/De'Aaron Fox trainwreck that demolished what little success the team had. Then, he got to enjoy the absolute failure of the 2025-2026 Kings season. Lucky him.
It's important to keep in mind that none of this was his fault. While he didn't really fit with the Kings, that was because of bad decisions made by the front office. DeRozan still hit the court and shot the lights out of whatever arena the Kings were in. He remains the NBA's mid-range maestro.
Regardless of where the blame lies, DeRozan's time with the Kings has been a debacle. It needs to come to an end, and both sides know it. How that happens has yet to be determined, but the Kings would probably prefer trading him. They don't get any return from simply buying him out.
Sending DeRozan back to Toronto makes sense for everyone
DeRozan was drafted by the Raptors and spent the first nine seasons of his career there. They were arguably the best seasons of his career, too. He was traded to the Spurs for Kawhi Leonard, who led Toronto to their only NBA championship the season after DeRozan left the team.
It would be safe to assume that not winning a title with the Raptors feels like unfinished business for DeRozan. What's interesting is that Toronto has built a good team that just got even better with the return of Leonard, who is expected to finish out his career in The 6ix. DeRozan could do the same.
By trading for Leonard, the Raptors have become a real threat in the East. Adding DeRozan's deadly mid-range accuracy off the bench would only enhance that. In return, the Kings could benefit from bringing in young players from Toronto like Alijah Martin, Jamison Battle, and/or Ja'Kobe Walter.
This is a deal that makes sense for both teams as well as DeRozan. Plus, it gives him a real chance at winning a championship before he retires, something that's a long way off with the Kings. However this plays out, the hope is that DeRozan ends up on a roster that is a much better fit for his skills.
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