For weeks, the Sacramento Kings appeared destined to be major sellers in the offseason, dialing back expectations and quietly reinforcing depth. But with De’Aaron Fox gone and the spotlight on Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and Keegan Murray, whispers have grown louder: a bold trade out of nowhere could redefine the franchise’s future.
Sacramento could be laying the groundwork for a blockbuster trade to bring in a transcendent All-Star point guard, someone whose name would shake up the franchise’s direction completely. That is why we propose an interesting trade idea that sends All-Star point guard Trae Young to the Kings for a massive package.Â
Let’s dive into how this could play out. It won’t be easy to get Young out of Atlanta, but since the point guard’s future is uncertain right now, the Kings could pounce when nobody expected them to.
Proposed Trade Details
Sacramento Kings Receive: Trae Young
Atlanta Hawks Receive: DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk, 2028 first-round pick (SAC), 2029 first-round pick (SAC)
Sacramento Kings Create A New Big Three To Challenge In The West
Sacramento’s offense already revolved around a potent trio, Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and Keegan Murray, but adding an All-Star point guard transforms that nucleus into something elite. Trae Young, fresh off a season where he led the NBA in assists (11.6 APG) while scoring 24.2 points per game over 76 games, brings elite playmaking and offensive fluidity to the formula.Â
His ability to generate offense for others would perfectly complement Sabonis’s interior dominance and LaVine’s scoring versatility. When the offense flows through Young, every role player’s strengths shine.Â
Sabonis averaged a league-best 13.9 rebounds per game in 2024-25, anchoring a physical interior presence. Meanwhile, LaVine’s scoring punch and Murray’s emerging two-way prowess add perimeter spacing. Young’s knack for high-assist games, he logged a 30-point, 20-assist outburst, including one with a game-winning three, elevates the ceiling of this cast.
With this combination, Sacramento could pivot from fringe contender to genuine Western threat. Young injects creativity, Sabonis stabilizes the engine, and LaVine and Murray offer scoring and athleticism.
Atlanta Hawks Bring Back Two Starting-Caliber Players And Two Picks
On the flip side, the Atlanta Hawks walk away with two proven starters and coveted draft capital. DeMar DeRozan, reliable and efficient, averaged 22.2 points and 4.4 assists in 77 games during 2024-25, cementing his role as a top-tier scoring wing.Â
His consistency in scoring, represented by his streak of 12+ seasons averaging 20+ PPG, brings veteran poise and offensive firepower. Malik Monk offers youthful upside and offensive versatility. Last season, he averaged 17.2 points, 5.6 assists, and 3.8 rebounds across 65 games, demonstrating his ability to create and score at multiple levels.Â
Whether coming off the bench or starting, Monk gives Atlanta a dynamic scoring punch and secondary ball-handling that softens the hit of trading Young. Topping it off: the Hawks collect Sacramento’s 2028 and 2029 first-round picks.Â
In a conference where long-term flexibility and draft capital are invaluable, those picks offer both insurance and trade chips. Atlanta’s balance of immediate rotation talent plus future upside makes this return believable, even bold, without mortgaging next year’s team.
A Trade Out of Nowhere… Making Kings Major Winners
This would rank as one of the boldest, most unexpected moves of the offseason. Most saw Sacramento as a modest retool or seller, not a team capable of orchestrating a high-profile trade for an All-Star guard.
From a value standpoint, Sacramento swings for the fences and wins big. Young’s elite assist totals and offensive orchestration arguably outweigh the combined aging star power of DeRozan and the secondary upside of Monk. Add Sabonis’s elite rebounding and Murray’s youth, and the Kings suddenly boast a multifaceted offense capable of contending deep in the Western playoffs.
This deal transforms the Kings from a quietly competitive roster into a headline-seeking playoff team. With a retooled core headlined by Young, Sabonis, and LaVine, Sacramento stakes its claim as a Western threat, and suddenly, their offseason pacing looks less like cautious planning and more like full-throttle ambition.
