Kings Are Reportedly on the Clock to Trade DeMar DeRozan

After the 2026 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings are entering a new era. With Darius Acuff Jr., Alex Karaban, and Emanuel Sharp heading to Sacramento, the Kings have a much-improved young core, meaning it is likely time for their veterans to find new opportunities elsewhere.

It has been no secret that the Kings are shopping three-time All-Star center Domantas Sabonis on the trade market, as they also eagerly wait to see if Zach LaVine opts into his $49 million player option. The most likely veteran to be on his way out of Sacramento, though, is DeMar DeRozan.

DeRozan, 36, likely wants to spend his final years in the NBA on a more competitive team, as he was stuck in a wasteland last season as the leading scorer on a 60-loss Kings squad. Now, this offseason, he is expected to find a new team one way or another.

Apr 5, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard DeMar DeRozan (10) before the game against the LA Clippers at Golden 1 Center. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

After a report that the Kings could waive-and-stretch the final year of DeRozan's contract, NBA insider Chris Haynes assured that the franchise would attempt to trade the veteran wing first, putting an early-August deadline on a DeRozan deal.

"The expectation is that he will be waived and stretched, and become a free agent. But the Kings are looking to trade DeMar DeRozan. They have a deadline, which is around early August, to try to trade him," Haynes said. "If they can't find a trade suitor to try to get some assets back in return for DeMar, then they will waive and stretch him in early August."

"The Kings are looking to trade DeMar DeRozan"@ChrisBHaynes tells @talkhoops why Sacramento would like to move on from one of their starting guards

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— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) June 24, 2026

What's next for DeRozan?

Ideally, the Kings can find a trade partner for DeRozan. While he is certainly not the hottest commodity on the trade market, there should be a group of suitors for him. A veteran wing who can still score at a high level should be valuable for a playoff contender, especially on an expiring, partially-guaranteed contract.

Only $10 million of his $25.7 million final-year salary is guaranteed, making him a much more intriguing trade target for opposing teams. However, if the Kings cannot find a trade partner, it is not the end of the world to waive him.

Last season, DeRozan showed that he can still play at a high level. In his 17th NBA season, he averaged 18.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game, while shooting 49.7% from the field, 32.0% from three-point range, and 86.8% from the free-throw line.

DEMAR DEROZAN WINS IT IN THE FINAL SECONDS FOR THE KINGS 🚨 pic.twitter.com/Fzw8pXtvtT
— NBA (@NBA) February 11, 2025

The Kings setting an early-August deadline to trade DeRozan is likely just because they do not want to drag this situation into next season. DeRozan's contract does not become fully guaranteed until January 2027, but parting ways before training camp allows both sides to move on in time for the 2026-27 season.

In a recent report from HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, the L.A. Clippers were mentioned as a potential suitor for DeRozan, which would give him the chance to play for his hometown team for the first time in his career. While it remains unclear whether the Clippers would give up assets to trade for DeRozan, rather than waiting to see if he hits free agency, it would not shock anyone if he ends up in Los Angeles.

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