The Sacramento Kings are expected to field trade offers for Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis, and Russell Westbrook amid a disappointing 6-20 start to the season.
Kings Could Trade Multiple Veteran Stars
Sources told Marc J. Spears of Andscape that a “disconnect has developed between key veterans and head coach Doug Christie, prompting the front office to consider roster changes.”
LaVine, DeRozan, Sabonis, and Westbrook are among the veterans expected to be explored in trade discussions. Teams are monitoring Keon Ellis as well.
ESPN’s Shams Charania noted in his Dec. 9 report that Sacramento and “first-year general manager Scott Perry are using this season as a patient evaluation campaign, trying to build a gritty culture.”
Sabonis was acquired from the Indiana Pacers in a February 2022 trade that sent star Tyrese Haliburton to Indiana. He became a critical piece in helping Sacramento make its first playoff appearance since the 2005-06 season.
DeRozan was acquired by the Kings in a sign-and-trade deal in July 2024, while LaVine landed in Sacramento nearly seven months later in a trade that sent De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs.
Per Spotrac, LaVine is earning $47.5 million this season with a player option of $48.97 million for 2026-27, while Sabonis carries a $42.3 million salary through 2027-28 without options.
DeRozan and Westbrook’s contracts are $24.75 million and $2.3 million this season, respectively.
The Kings have an active roster cap of $184.66 million, exceeding the league maximum by $56.2 million. This has ultimately limited Sacramento’s flexibility under the luxury tax apron.
Sacramento Has Struggled Under Doug Christie
Since trading Fox to the Spurs at last season’s deadline, things have only gone from bad to worse for the Kings despite the team receiving three first-round picks and three second-rounders in the deal.
After the Kings surprisingly fired Mike Brown as their head coach on Dec. 27, 2024, Fox told ESPN that Brown’s firing was the final straw, as he didn’t want to play for a fifth coach.
Under Brown in 2023, the Kings ended a 16-year playoff drought, the longest streak in league history. Brown had a 107-88 (.458) record in 2½ seasons in Sacramento, with a winning record in both of his full seasons.
Rick Adelman is the only other coach to post a winning record in a full season since the Kings moved to Sacramento.
Under new head coach Doug Christie, Sacramento went 3-12 to open the 2025-26 season, its worst start through 15 games since going 2-13 to start the 1990-91 season.
Christie, who finalized a multi-year contract to become Sacramento’s next coach in April, had been an assistant with the Kings since 2021-22 and played for the franchise in five of his 15 NBA seasons.
Sacramento went 27-24 last season under Christie, ranking ninth in offensive efficiency during that span and going 13-10 in clutch-time games compared to 6-13 earlier in the campaign under Brown, per ESPN Stats & Information.
The Kings won 20 of their first 31 games under Christie but finished 7-13 in the last 20 games of the season.
