Kings Notes: DeRozan, LaVine, Sabonis, Westbrook, Achiuwa
Waiving DeMar DeRozan was a smart financial move, but that didn’t make it any easier for the Kings to let him go, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (subscription required). General manager Scott Perry addressed that decision and several other topics during a press conference on Wednesday, calling DeRozan “one of my favorite players to work with.”
“I’ve worked with some great players, some Hall of Fame players, in my career,” Perry said. “His professionalism, his leadership, the way he went about preparing for his job each and every day was exemplary, and how he poured into our young players last year was very important and very much appreciated.”
DeRozan only had a $10MM guarantee on his $25.74MM salary for the upcoming season, and the team can create even more immediate cap savings by using the stretch provision to spread that $10MM across the next three years. That would reduce his cap charge for 2026/27 by over $22MM, taking the Kings out of apron territory and below the luxury tax line.
While the benefits of parting ways with DeRozan were obvious, Perry told reporters that he searched for other alternatives to reduce payroll.
“We were trying to figure out ways we could keep him, but as we all know there is a financial component to this job,” Perry said. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to figure out anything that would allow us to keep him, but I’m going to miss him. I’ll be honest with you.”
There’s more on the Kings, all from Anderson:
- Perry is focused on the upcoming season with Zach LaVine, who will reportedly exercise his $49MM player option. LaVine has been the subject of trade speculation, but Perry hasn’t heard any offers that he likes. “Zach and I have been in communication since the season has been over,” Perry said. “… Zach is still an excellent basketball player. He knows what’s expected of him coming back here this year. I’m very clear with him on that. He’ll be the first to tell you that, and I think he’s ready to come back, embrace that and perform to the best of his abilities this year.”
- Perry sounded a similar tone regarding Domantas Sabonis, who has also been the subject of trade rumors involving several teams. The three-time All-Star will be trying to bounce back after injuries limited him to 19 games last season. “Obviously, he missed a lot of last year, but he’s always played hard,” Perry said. “I expect him to do that, provide some veteran presence for this team, really have a tremendous rebounding year and help us build some winning habits.”
- Reporters brought up the possibility of re-signing Russell Westbrook to serve as a mentor to first-round pick Darius Acuff Jr. Perry said Westbrook “has always been a favorite of mine,” but added that the Kings currently can’t offer more than the veteran’s minimum deal that he played on last season. Sacramento technically holds Westbrook’s Non-Bird rights, allowing the team to go 20% above his minimum, but it sounds like non-minimum deals for any free agent are unlikely as long as the team is flirting with the luxury tax line and first-apron hard cap.
- Perry is happy that Sacramento was able to keep Precious Achiuwa on a new two-year contract when he had other options in free agency. “He could have gone elsewhere, but he wanted to be here,” Perry said. “I think he came here last year searching for a place he could call home. He quickly established himself, the way he competed each and every night at both ends of the floor. He’s a versatile athlete, and I can’t say it enough: I love having guys who want to be here and are invested in something they can build into something bigger than just themselves, and Precious embodies that.”
Trade Rumors: Murphy, Celtics, Duren, Hield, J. Green
With Jaylen Brown off the board, people in league circles are wondering if Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III will be the next notable trade candidate on the move, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Scotto reports that New Orleans’ asking price for Murphy is believed to have dropped to the equivalent of three first-round picks instead of four. While some executives who spoke to HoopsHype believe that’s a reasonable ask, others think the ceiling should be two first-rounders, pointing out that’s what it took to land stars like Kawhi Leonard and Brown.
According to Scotto, the Warriors, Pistons, Hawks, Pacers, Trail Blazers, Spurs, and Lakers expressed trade interest in Murphy prior to the trade deadline, but some of those teams are believed to no longer be in the mix. Indiana, Portland, and Los Angeles, for instance, made moves for Ivica Zubac, Ja Morant, and Walker Kessler, respectively, using some of the assets that might have been involved in offers for Murphy, while San Antonio went to the NBA Finals and isn’t looking to significantly shake up its roster.
However, Golden State, Detroit, and Atlanta are still believed to be eyeing Murphy, along with the Celtics and Clippers, Scotto writes. All of those teams have access to the sort of draft capital that the Pelicans would be seeing, with Boston and L.A. bolstering their collections of assets via the Brown and Leonard deals. The Warriors’ level of interest in pursuing Murphy at this time remains up in the air while they wait to see what happens with LeBron James, Scotto adds.
Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- Although the Celtics might have interest in Murphy, a league source tells Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (subscription required) that the Brown trade wasn’t made with a specific follow-up move in mind. Himmelsbach also hears from a source that Boston doesn’t view the deal – which sends out Brown’s three-year, $183MM contract – as a “cost-cutting transaction” and that the front office didn’t have a directive from ownership to trade the All-Star wing.
- Checking in on the Jalen Duren situation, Scotto observes that the restricted free agent center and Kings big man Domantas Sabonis share an agency, which may be one reason why rumors about a possible sign-and-trade sending Duren to Sacramento have been so loud despite there being no indication that the Pistons are interested in pursuing it. Sabonis’ representatives would presumably like to get the veteran to a situation where he could contend, while Duren could potentially secure a bigger payday with the Kings than what the Pistons are currently willing to offer him.
- Hawks sharpshooter Buddy Hield continues to be included in trade conversations, according to Scotto. Although Atlanta decided to guarantee Hield’s $9.66MM salary for the coming season, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll return to the team for 2026/27.
- The Timberwolves are expected to try to add a big man who can stretch the floor after losing Naz Reid in the LaMelo Ball trade. While targeting a player using the taxpayer mid-level exception is one option for Minnesota, there’s a belief that the team may also look to flip Josh Green‘s expiring $14.7MM contract to address that position, Scotto reports.
Jalen Duren To Meet With Lakers Again On Wednesday
With restricted free agent Jalen Duren and the Pistons reportedly far apart in their contract negotiations, the All-NBA big man has begun looking elsewhere and has found interested suitors. He had a “productive” meeting with the Lakers on Tuesday and will meet with them again on Wednesday morning, Sam Amick reports for The Athletic.
The Lakers, who have been searching for a long-term answer at center to start alongside their star backcourt of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, expressed that they view Duren as a maximum-salary player, per Amick, a message sure to appeal to him given his apparent displeasure with Detroit’s contract offer.
[RELATED: NBA Maximum Salaries For 2026/27]
Duren also met with the Kings and received similar assurances. While Amick makes no mention of a follow-up meeting, Sacramento appears committed to pursuing a sign-and-trade with the Pistons to try to pair Duren with rookie point guard Darius Acuff Jr.
The fit with the Lakers is clear. Duren thrived as a rim-rolling lob threat playing off the passing ability of Cade Cunningham this year, and Doncic tends to be at his best with a pick-and-roll partner he can throw lobs to. Reaves is another strong play-maker, and the team could use an infusion of physicality and athleticism on the inside.
The Lakers will also have significant cap flexibility after LeBron James informed them he’ll play elsewhere next season.
Neither the Lakers nor the Kings is assured of landing Duren though, even if he pursues a deal with one of them, given that his leverage as a restricted free agent is somewhat limited. The Pistons have indicated that they have no plans to participate in a sign-and-trade and would instead match any offer sheet Duren signs.
While it’s possible that’s a negotiating tactic, it may be difficult for the Lakers to construct an offer sheet that would make Detroit balk, and the Kings don’t have the cap room to land him without a sign-and-trade deal. It’s unclear if either team will be able to put together a trade offer strong enough to convince the Pistons to part ways with their All-NBA center.
The Pistons don’t appear enthused at the prospect of taking back Domantas Sabonis from the Kings, Amick notes, and the Lakers’ top trade chips are draft picks, which may not appeal to a Detroit team coming off a 60-win team and looking to contend sooner rather than later.
The Lakers are also eyeing another restricted free agent big man, Walker Kessler of the Jazz, as they attempt to land the sort of “A-list center” Doncic has sought.
Jalen Duren To Meet With Kings, Lakers
8:11 pm: The Pistons aren’t looking to trade Duren, confirms Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press, reporting that there’s still a “high degree of confidence” within the organization that the big man will be re-signed.
7:25 pm: While Duren’s camp appears to seeking sign-and-trade scenarios and finding potential suitors willing to explore them, the Pistons remain resistant to pursuing a sign-and-trade deal, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Still, Amick (Twitter link) hears that Duren is very interested in playing for Sacramento and Sabonis is intrigued by the possibility of becoming a Piston.
6:24 pm: Duren has also lined up a call with the Lakers for Tuesday evening after free agency officially begins, league sources tell Amick (Twitter link).
5:29 pm: The Pistons and Jalen Duren remain far apart in their contract negotiations, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes, who reports (via Twitter) that the restricted free agent center intends to meet with the Kings at the start of free agency on Tuesday in the hopes of working out a sign-and-trade deal.
We first heard on Friday that talks between Duren and the Pistons had stalled after the big man was “underwhelmed” by the team’s initial offer. At that time, Sam Amick of The Athletic stated that the 22-year-old intended to explore sign-and-trade scenarios once free agency opened, but Haynes said the Pistons were still conveying that they were “solely” focused on working out a new deal with Duren.
Three days later, it’s Haynes who’s hearing that Duren is serious about looking into the possibility of a sign-and-trade that could get him to a new home on the kind of lucrative long-term contract he wants.
Duren is coming off a very strong regular season — he made his first All-Star team and averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in 70 games while shooting 65% from the field. The 22-year-old received votes for Defensive Player of the Year and, crucially, earned third-team All-NBA honors, which made him eligible for a “Rose Rule” contract with the Pistons, who can offer him up to 30% of the salary cap instead of the usual 25%.
[RELATED: NBA Maximum Salary Projections For 2026/27]
Questions emerged in the playoffs, however, as Duren’s averages slipped to 10.2 PPG and 8.5 RPG over the course of two seven-game series against Orlando and Cleveland. He was particularly ineffective against the Cavs, with the Pistons turning multiple times to veteran big man Paul Reed in his place.
Reports in recent days have indicated that Duren is seeking either a maximum-salary contract or at least $40MM annually.
The Kings aren’t in a great position to accommodate a sign-and-trade deal for a player earning a significant salary, but they could make it work if they can get below the first tax apron. The team has already agreed to trade Devin Carter and his $5.2MM salary to Atlanta, and could create over $22MM in savings by waiving and stretching DeMar DeRozan‘s contract, which includes a $10MM partial guaranteed on a $25.7MM cap hit.
According to Amick (Twitter link), a sign-and-trade scenario involving Duren and the Kings would likely see Sacramento offer Domantas Sabonis, though it remains to be seen how enthusiastic the Pistons would be about that option. Without the cap room necessarily to sign Duren to an offer sheet, the Kings or any other team interested in landing him would need to offer up a trade package that would satisfy Detroit.
International Notes: 2027 World Cup, Lithuania, Croatia, Loyd, Joerger
Three NBA players have been named to Lithuania’s 15-man roster for the upcoming FIBA 2027 World Cup qualifiers, writes Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. At a press conference Friday morning, Bulls forward Matas Buzelis, Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas and Heat guard Kasparas Jakucionis were announced as part of the team, which will play two games next month.
Domantas Sabonis, who’s normally a regular in international competitions, won’t represent Lithuania in this event. The Kings center is still recovering after undergoing season-ending knee surgery in February.
Currently 2-2 in Group D, Lithuania will host Great Britain on July 2 and travel to Italy on July 5. The team needs a top-three finish in its group to advance into the secondary qualifying round.
There’s more international news to pass along:
- Some familiar names are on Croatia’s World Cup qualifying roster, which was also revealed on Friday, Askounis states in a separate story. Pacers center Ivica Zubac will headline the team, along with Pelicans forward Karlo Matkovic and former NBA players Mario Hezonja and Dario Saric. The Croatians, who have already clinched a spot in the secondary stage, will travel to Cyprus on July 3 and host Israel on July 6.
- Former NBA player Jordan Loyd is nearing an extension that will keep him with Anadolu Efes, Askounis adds in another piece. The 32-year-old guard signed with the Turkish power last summer, and sources tell Askounis that both sides are on the verge of committing to a new agreement.
- Ex-NBA coach Dave Joerger is in talks to become the head coach of Paris Basketball, sources tell Olgun Uluc of ESPN (Twitter link). Joerger spent three seasons with the Grizzlies and three more with the Kings, compiling a 245-247 career record. He was being considered by Melbourne United in the NBL, according to Uluc, but now appears more likely to wind up in Paris.
Fischer’s Latest: Bucks, Mavs, Hawks, Kings, Sabonis
In addition to creating the impression that they’ll have an additional first-round pick beyond their own 10th overall selection in the draft later this month, the Bucks have some rival front offices believing they want to trade up from No. 10, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
Milwaukee has met with Mikel Brown and worked out Darius Acuff while also expressing interest in Keaton Wagler and Kingston Flemings, according to Fischer, noting that all four of those guards are considered likely to come off the board within the first nine picks.
One source who spoke to Fischer speculated that the Bucks are simply doing their due diligence in case one of those players slips to No. 10, pointing out that acquiring a pick in the 5-9 range won’t be easy. According to Fischer, rival teams believes the Clippers (No. 5), Kings (No. 7), and Hawks (No. 8) are all happy to stay where they are, while the Nets (No. 6) have also indicated they’re comfortable standing pat.
A team hoping to move into the top 10 might need to talk to the Mavericks (No. 9), who have let potential trade partners know that they’re very much open to the idea of moving in either direction, sources tell Fischer.
Here are a few more highlights from Fischer’s latest collection of NBA rumors:
- Although the Hawks haven’t shown any interest in moving off of the No. 8 pick, league sources tell The Stein Line that they’ve told teams they’re more than open to offers for their second first-rounder at No. 23. There’s a sense that Atlanta would prefer to make just a single first-round selection, says Fischer.
- Following up on Wednesday’s Domantas Sabonis rumors, Fischer classifies the Kings‘ talks with the Hornets as “preliminary,” reiterating that Sacramento would like to acquire either the No. 14 or 18 pick while Charlotte has resisted that idea. If the Kings move Sabonis, they’re hoping to take back as little multiyear salary as possible, Fischer adds, so a player like forward Miles Bridges, who will be entering the final year of his contract, would appeal to Sacramento.
- The Kings continue to insist they’d want first-round draft capital to part with Sabonis, a three-time All-Star, Fischer reports. They’ve shown interest in the Raptors‘ No. 19 overall pick, per Fischer, but it’s unclear whether Toronto will renew its pursuit of the Lithuanian big man after exploring a deal prior to February’s trade deadline.
- In case you missed it, we passed along Fischer’s latest reporting on Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier today.
Kings, Hornets Have Discussed Domantas Sabonis
1:23 pm: Confirming Amick’s reporting, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype says the Kings and Hornets explored a possible framework that would’ve sent Bridges, Green, and a first-round pick to Sacramento in exchange for Sabonis. However, as Amick noted, Charlotte has resisted including either of its 2026 first-rounders in a deal.
The Hornets are considering pursuing a starting-caliber center this summer, per Scotto, who adds that Kings general manager Scott Perry nearly drafted Bridges over Kevin Knox in 2018 when he was in the Knicks’ front office.
9:12 am: While a recent report stating that the Kings and Hornets discussed a possible Domantas Sabonis trade during the season was shot down, Sam Amick of The Athletic hears from league sources that the two teams have had recent talks about the big man.
Amick cautions that no deal is imminent and says it seems unlikely that will change prior to this month’s draft. However, his sources tell him that Charlotte does appear to have some level of interest in Sabonis.
As Amick explains, the Kings would ideally like to acquire one of Charlotte’s first-round picks (No. 14 or 18) in a Sabonis trade, but the Hornets want to keep those picks out of any deal and discuss the Sacramento big man later in the offseason, after the draft.
Sabonis, 30, has earned three All-Star nods since 2020. He also made the All-NBA third team in both 2023 and 2024 and led the league in rebounding for three straight seasons from 2023-25, but he was limited to just 19 total appearances in 2025/26 due to knee problems. In those 19 outings (15 starts), he averaged 15.8 points, 11.4 boards, and 4.1 assists in 29.7 minutes per game.
Sabonis tore his left meniscus tear back in November and originally opted for a non-surgical treatment plan, rehabbing the injury and returning to action a couple months later, in mid-January. Upon returning though, he appeared in just eight of Sacramento’s 15 games heading into the All-Star break and played a relatively limited role (24.9 MPG).
With the Kings well out of the playoff race and the big man seemingly not all the way back to 100%, he and the team decided to address his meniscus injury surgically and he underwent a season-ending procedure in February.
Sabonis was also involved in trade rumors prior to the 2026 trade deadline — the Raptors were the team that was most frequently linked to the big man at that time, but the Kings were said to have no interest in taking back Jakob Poeltl‘s long-term contract as part of a deal. While it’s unclear if Toronto will resume discussions about Sabonis this offseason, there’s an expectation among rival teams that the big man will be made available by a retooling Sacramento team seeking salary cap relief.
The Hornets got solid production at the five in 2025/26 from youngsters Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner, but neither Diabate nor Kalkbrenner is the kind of scorer or play-maker that Sabonis is. The Lithuanian center holds averages of 19.0 PPG, 13.1 RPG, and 6.9 APG since being traded to the Kings in 2022.
Sabonis’ 2025/26 cap hit is $42.3MM and he’ll make $45.5MM next season, so the Hornets would have to send out a significant amount of salary for matching purposes, along with possible draft compensation. Forward Miles Bridges, who will earn $22.8MM in 2026/27 on the final year of his contract, is one trade candidate to watch. Charlotte also has Josh Green ($14.7MM) and Grant Williams ($14.3MM) on expiring deals.
Fischer’s Latest: Sabonis, Hawks, Porzingis, Wade, Ellis
Rival teams are expecting the Kings to make Domantas Sabonis available in trade talks again this summer after he stayed with Sacramento through the February deadline, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
As Fischer writes, the Kings are facing a significant cap crunch this offseason and are “known to be looking” to reduce their payroll if they can. Sabonis may more draw more interest than some of the team’s other pricey veterans, Fischer notes. That group also includes Zach LaVine (if he picks up his $49MM player option as expected), DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk.
Here’s more from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up:
- In addition to the Bulls, Lakers, Hornets and Raptors, whom Fischer linked to Mitchell Robinson, the Hawks are another team eyeing frontcourt reinforcements this offseason. Fischer suggests the team may be in the market for a backup to Onyeka Okongwu rather than a starting five.
- The Warriors are optimistic about their chances of re-signing Kristaps Porzingis to a more team-friendly contract after he made $30.7MM last season while appearing in just 32 regular season games, per Fischer. However, if a deal falls through, Golden State would likely be in the mix for center help too.
- Cleveland essentially had to pick between re-signing Sam Merrill or Ty Jerome last offseason due to the team’s high payroll — even after significant cost-cutting moves ahead of the deadline, the Cavaliers were the only team to finish over the second tax apron in 2025/26. A similar situation could play out this summer, according to Fischer, with the Cavs expected to prioritize retaining Dean Wade over deadline addition Keon Ellis. Fischer hears Wade could command a “healthy portion” of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which starts at $15MM next season and projects to be worth up to $64.7MM over four years. Ellis’ stock may be trending in the opposite direction after he didn’t play much for Cleveland in the postseason, Fischer adds.
Pacific Notes: Kings, Sabonis, Warriors, Suns
The Kings are hosting a pre-draft workout on Friday featuring Boopie Miller (SMU), Nick Boyd (Wisconsin), Lamar Wilkerson (Indiana), Anthony Roy (Oklahoma State), Izaiyah Nelson (South Florida) and Ugonna Onyenso (Virginia), tweets James Ham of The Kings Beat.
Sacramento controls three picks (Nos. 7, 34 and 45) in the upcoming draft. Big men Onyenso (No. 43) and Nelson (No. 47) are the top-ranked prospects in that group on ESPN’s big board.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- After Evan Sidery claimed (via Twitter) that the Hornets and Kings discussed a possible trade involving Domantas Sabonis during the 2025/26 season, Ham shot down that rumor (Twitter link). “Not accurate,” a league source told Ham. Sabonis, a three-time All-Star center, is owed $94.1MM over the next two seasons.
- Nick Avila of NBC Sports Bay Area rounds up seven mock drafts for the lottery picks controlled by the Kings (No. 7) and Warriors (No. 11). Four outlets have Sacramento selecting former Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings, while only one name appears multiple times (twice) for Golden State: Mexican forward Karim Lopez, who spent the last two seasons with the New Zealand Breakers in the National Basketball League.
- Although the Suns currently only control the 47th overall pick in this month’s draft, they have a recent history of moving both up and down, notes Gerald Bourguet of Sports360AZ.com. He acknowledges the odds of Phoenix being able to land a first-round pick seem fairly low given the limited assets at the team’s disposal, but Bourguet lists five prospects the Suns should consider if they’re able to move into the first round, including Stanford’s Ebuka Okorie and Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson.
Sixers Rumors: Front Office, Morey, Embiid, George, More
Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey still had two “expensive” years left on his contract, but that didn’t dissuade the team’s ownership group from deciding that a front office change was necessary, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
After formally confirming on Tuesday that they’ve parted ways with Morey, the 76ers have tasked Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment president of sports Bob Myers with temporarily running the front office and leading the search for a new lead basketball executive. However, according to Fischer, the plan is for Myers to return to an advisory role once a hire is made.
Myers will consider candidates within the organization in addition to external options, Fischer writes. While it’s too early to identify potential frontrunners, Fischer says Andre Iguodala, the current NBPA executive director who played under Myers in Golden State and also spent several years playing in Philadelphia, isn’t expected to receive consideration for the job, even though his stint with the players’ union is scheduled to end next month.
Here’s more from Fischer on the Sixers:
- Although fans in Philadelphia weren’t happy about the mid-season trade that sent Jared McCain to Oklahoma City for draft assets, including a 2026 first-rounder, a source with knowledge of the situation told Fischer that deal wasn’t the “proverbial last straw” for Morey. Ownership “very much approved” that deal, Fischer writes, which makes sense, given that it helped the 76ers move out of luxury tax territory. The club is also optimistic about its ability to select a quality prospect next month with the No. 22 overall pick acquired in that trade, Fischer adds.
- There’s a widespread belief that the Sixers would be best off resetting their roster around Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, but that will be easier said than done in the short term, Fischer notes. The three years and $188MM left on Joel Embiid‘s contract will make it very challenging to move him without attaching sweeteners, which likely won’t appeal to Philadelphia, meaning an Embiid trade is unlikely to happen this offseason. According to Fischer, one idea mentioned by rival strategists is a swap involving Embiid and Kings center Domantas Sabonis, but he acknowledges that calling that scenario a “long shot” might be understating it.
- As tricky as Embiid would be to move, the same may no longer be true of Paul George, who rehabilitated his value to some extent with a strong finish to the season, including a playoff run in which he shot 49.3% from three-point range. George also has just one guaranteed year remaining on his maximum-salary contract, with a player option to follow, so if he conveys a willingness to decline that option in favor of an extension that starts at a lower number, that could make potential suitors more comfortable rolling the dice on him. Fischer likens George’s contract situation – and trade value – to Trae Young‘s entering last season. The Hawks didn’t acquire any draft picks for Young but they didn’t have to send out any either, and they were able to acquire two relatively team-friendly contracts in their deal with Washington.
- Even though Nurse will remain in his position as head coach, there’s an expectation that his staff will undergo some offseason changes, according to Fischer, who observes that a number of Sixers assistants are on expiring contracts.