The Sacramento Kings haven’t looked good in the 2024-25 season, as the 13-17 franchise is falling behind in the race for the West Playoffs. It’s hard to blame Mike Brown or even stars like De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis for their struggles this season, as the roster doesn’t look well-built with an over-emphasis on offensive-minded players.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards are emerging as the two worst teams in the East. They will continue tanking through the end of this season to maximize the value of their 2025 Draft pick. To make that happen, both teams need to make minor moves to get rid of players to accumulate more assets or set themselves up for the future.Â
If the Kings want to return to the Playoffs, they have to get the Raptors and Kings on the phone to work out a 3-team trade that could change.
Trade Details
Sacramento Kings Receive: Kyle Kuzma, Bruce Brown, Ochai Agbaji
Toronto Raptors Receive: DeMar DeRozan, Trey Lyles
Washington Wizards Receive: Kevin Huerter, 2026 Second-Round Pick (SAC), 2028 Second-Round Pick (TOR)
This deal would add defenders to a Kings squad which severely lacks on that end of the court. The Raptors bring back a franchise icon to help them through their rebuild and mentor their young stars. The Wizards get off the declining Kuzma for the expiring contract of a shooter, allowing them to have more future flexibility.
The Kings Alter Their Lineup To Give Themselves A Chance
The Kings are an average team that’s failing to stay in the top 10 of the West primarily due to its incongruent roster. De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis aren’t a complementary duo, but their individual talents have shined through before and taken the franchise to the Playoffs. The problem is that all other key players on the roster are offensive-minded, like Malik Monk and summer acquisition DeRozan.
Moving off DeRozan to facilitate a three-team deal that lands them Kuzma and Brown would better round out the Kings’ roster. Kuzma is averaging 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in a down year this season but has proven his worth as a two-way forward who can hold his own offensively while making a big impact on the other end.Â
Brown averaged 10.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists last season with the Raptors, but an opportunity to be the two-guard next to Fox would be fantastic for him. He’s an aggressive defender who can stretch the floor as well as play multiple positions. Both Kuzma and Brown make the Kings’ roster more dynamic and allow Malik Monk to return to the bench and thrive as a Sixth Man.
A Homecoming For DeRozan
The Raptors don’t have a long list of franchise legends, but DeMar DeRozan would be one of the top names if we discussed the same. He carried the franchise through the 2010s, making them a perennial Playoff threat. Unfortunately, he never made a Finals with the Raptors because LeBron James eliminated him four seasons in a row, prompting Toronto to trade DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard in 2018.
With the Raptors rebuilding and hoping to build a new winning culture, bringing the 35-year-old DeRozan back to the franchise makes perfect sense. He’s averaging 20.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, but his true asset would be leadership. He can be a mentor to young stars like Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and Gradey Dick, with all three playing in positions we’ve seen DeRozan be deployed in over the years.
The Raptors don’t gain anything from keeping Bruce Brown on the roster for another season, so trading him to acquire a franchise legend who can mentor the next generation of Raptors seems like a no-brainer. It also allows the Raptors to reach the salary floor for next season by acquiring a short-term mid-range contract (three-year, $73,8 million).
The Wizards Manage Salary And Get Younger
The Wizards have focused on promoting their young stars as much as possible this season. They’re playing three rookies proper rotational minutes this season, with the presence of veterans like Malcolm Brogdon, Jordan Poole, Kyle Kuzma, and Jonas Valanciunas hurting the opportunities available for the team’s youth. Moving off Kuzma should be a priority, as his value could greatly diminish after a year.
Kevin Huerter is averaging 9.7 points and 3.5 rebounds, but his value comes as an expiring contract. Some contenders might want to take a fly on his shooting talent, but it won’t happen on his current contract. The Wizards essentially move off Kuzma’s multi-year deal for Huerter and nearly $17 million in cap relief next season.
They missed the boat on trading Kuzma at his highest value last season, but as the 29-year-old forward is struggling this season, the Wizards need to trade him as soon as possible before his value dips even further.
Sacramento Takes A Swing
The Kings have been interested in Kuzma before, almost acquiring him in 2021 before the Lakers traded him to the Wizards instead. He gets to return to California and be the difference-maker on a winning team.Â
He can be a perfect connective player between Fox and Sabonis and can reduce the responsibilities on Keegan Murray, whose heavy defensive load has harmed his scoring this season. In addition, Bruce Brown would primarily absorb the POA defensive assignments that Keegan has been forced into this season.
This deal makes their roster make a lot more sense. However, we know that the Kings don’t make the best trade decisions, so we’ll have to hope they can execute something like this to have some shot at being a Playoff team.
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