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.
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.
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.
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.
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