While it might not have ended with a championship, DeMar DeRozan's run with the Toronto Raptors was legendary. He earned four All-Star berths there, making him one of their most successful and recognizable stars.
DeRozan followed up his time in Toronto with tenures in San Antonio and then Chicago. His most recent move saw him jump to the Sacramento Kings during 2024 free agency as part of a three-team sign-and-trade deal.
With the firing of head coach Mike Brown, De'Aaron Fox leaving for the Spurs, and Zach LaVine joining the Kings as part of his own three-team trade, last season was full of ups and downs. That might be why they're already talking about trading DeRozan.
DeMar DeRozan is a tough trade
DeMar is an incredible player, but he's also 36 and entering his 17th season. It's not out of pocket to suggest that his prime years are behind him.
Additionally, he's on a three-year contract worth $74 million, which makes him a salary cap concern. The third year is partially guaranteed based on the Kings making the NBA Finals, as well as DeRozan playing a minimum number of games and being an All-Star.
It's also expected that the Kings want someone substantial in exchange for DeMar. They got a huge haul of draft picks as part of the LaVine trade. Giving up DeRozan should garner something similar.
In combination, all of that does limit potential trade destinations. Rumored trade partners have included the Indiana Pacers and the Los Angeles Clippers. So far, nothing has materialized yet. Trading DeRozan isn't impossible, just incredibly difficult.
The Kings can't rebuild
After the departures of Mike Brown and De'Aaron Fox, the Kings have found themselves trying to plan for a much different future. The problem is that being unable to move DeRozan this offseason has gotten in the way of that goal.
DeRozan isn't in demand like he was at the end of his run with the Raptors. He has, so far, been unable to win a championship. And teams take that kind of experience into account when acquiring veterans.
The sign-and-trade deal that brought DeRozan to the Kings does complicate the franchise's future incredibly. While he can still ball, he's not the team foundation he was in the past.
On the other hand, Zach LaVine has plenty of good miles left, so he could factor into the Kings' plans or be the centerpiece of a trade package. Trading DeRozan won't be as easy, but it's something the Kings will need to do if they want to move forward.