When the Kings brought DeMar DeRozan to Golden 1 Center on July 6, 2024, it looked like a clean fit on paper. De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis and a six-time All-Star in the mix gave Sacramento a real sense that it was pushing into a new tier.
Two years to the day later, the move has gone in the opposite direction. The Kings waived DeRozan before he could enter the final season of the three-year, $76.7 million deal he signed in 2024.
General manager Scott Perry said Wednesday that Sacramento tried to find a way to keep him, but the numbers ultimately got in the way.
“Since the season is over, when we could start looking at different moves to make, we were trying to figure out ways how we could keep him,” Perry said. “But, as we all know, one of the things in this league, there is a financial component to this job, so unfortunately we weren’t able to figure out or do anything that would allow us to keep him from that standpoint, but I’m going to miss him, I’ll be honest with you.”
DeRozan had $10 million guaranteed left on his contract, and ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported that the Kings have not yet decided whether to stretch that money over a longer period to reduce the cap hit.
The move comes during a busy offseason for Sacramento. The Kings have also re-signed Precious Achiuwa and Daeqwon Plowden, and traded Devin Carter.
Even with the on-court fit not delivering the way the Kings hoped, Perry made it clear DeRozan left an impression in the locker room and behind the scenes.
“I’ve been in the league 26 years, and he was one of my favorite players to work with, bar none,” Perry said. “… His professionalism, his leadership, the way he went about preparing for his job each and every day -- exemplary. And how he poured into our young players last year, our rookies, was very important and very much appreciated.”
DeRozan, now a 17-year veteran, is one of the top free agents on the market and is expected to draw interest from several contenders, possibly including the Warriors.
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Raynaud gives the roster another young piece to evaluate, and his arrival adds to a camp that general manager Scott Perry has framed around effort and chemistry as much as results. Perry has been encouraged by Raynauds development, and with the Kings continuing to mix in new faces and returning players in Las Vegas, the next few days should offer a clearer look at how much of that California Classic success can carry over once the competition gets sharper. [Read more 🡒]