The Sacramento Kings are actively attempting to move six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan ahead of the NBA trade deadline, but indications suggest the market for the veteran forward remains extremely limited.
According to Forbes reporter Evan Sidery, Sacramento are “eager” to offload DeRozan’s contract, which carries a $24.8 million salary this season.
Rival teams, however, have shown little appetite for absorbing that figure, particularly given DeRozan’s age and the remaining financial commitments on his deal.
While the Kings are motivated to create both roster and cap flexibility, identifying a realistic trade partner has proven difficult as the February 5 deadline draws closer.
That lack of interest places Sacramento in an uncomfortable position. The Kings are widely viewed as motivated sellers, but may ultimately be forced to either attach additional assets to facilitate a deal or wait for a team facing late deadline pressure to improve their roster.
Sacramento Kings Facing Hard Decisions Amid Lost Season
Despite the trade chatter, DeRozan continues to provide steady offensive production.
Through 37 games, the 36-year-old is averaging 18.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game, while shooting 49.8% from the field and 35.7% from three-point range.
Still, that scoring average represents his lowest output since the 2012-13 season, and league executives remain cautious about committing significant cap space to an aging scorer whose game leans heavily on isolation and mid-range efficiency.
From a financial standpoint, DeRozan is earning $24.8 million this season and is owed $25.7 million through the 2026-27 campaign before becoming an unrestricted free agent. For teams prioritizing flexibility or younger cores, that contract commitment may dampen interest.
It has been a season to forget for Sacramento, who sit near the bottom of the Western Conference standings at 8-29. Injuries have played a major role in the Kings’ decline, with key rotation players missing extended stretches.
Keegan Murray has been sidelined for the next 3-4 weeks with an ankle injury, while Domantas Sabonis has dealt with knee issues that have disrupted his availability.
Even with DeRozan in the lineup, Sacramento ranks bottom of the league in offensive rating at 108.0. With results failing to follow, the Kings are increasingly expected to pivot toward long-term competitiveness, even if that comes at the expense of short-term results, and are projected to enter the 2026 NBA Draft lottery picture.
Kuminga Connection Highlights Sacramento’s Long-Term Vision
One major driver behind Sacramento’s pursuit of a DeRozan trade is the opportunity it could create elsewhere on the roster. Sidery has noted that moving DeRozan would open a forward spot should the Kings land Jonathan Kuminga in a separate deal.
Sacramento have been widely linked to Kuminga, with The Athletic’s Sam Amick recently reporting that the Golden State Warriors‘ leverage in talks has diminished as Kuminga has fallen out of Steve Kerr’s rotation and uncertainty has long surrounded his future with the Warriors.
A previous sign-and-trade framework involving a protected future first-round pick and Malik Monk is no longer believed to be on the table, further complicating negotiations.
“With Kuminga’s Warriors role disappearing this season, and his frayed relationship with Steve Kerr an open secret,” Amick wrote, “this is (potentially) the price Golden State will pay for that crucial loss in leverage.”
Kuminga’s interest in Sacramento is well established, however. Andscape’s Marc J. Spears stated during the offseason that Kuminga became convinced the Kings were the right destination after discussions with the franchise’s leadership.
“He wants to go [to Sacramento],” Spears said in June. “The Kings are offering a starting spot, as the power forward, next to Keegan Murray and [Domantas] Sabonis.”
According to Sidery, Sacramento remain Kuminga’s most aggressive suitor and are still canvassing the market for a multi-team structure that would offload Monk’s contract while acquiring the Congolese forward.
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