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Former Bulls star may be on the move again before the trade deadline

The Sacramento Kings season is either going as poorly as it could or as well as it could, depending on who you ask. If they're cheering for a tank, then the 6-21 Kings are giving them exactly what they want. If they're cheering for any sort of immediate success, then someone should probably check in on them.

A tank with the team's current roster makeup (kind of old), though, doesn't make much sense. Thus, a _few_ former Bulls might be on the market, DeMar DeRozan among them. [From Marc Stein](https://substack.com/redirect/d2afcab9-d7bd-4da3-9e41-94b292a15208?j=eyJ1IjoicXR0M3UifQ.zdXwOcfeIB1-QugZtPoeP01CZwZE9P3sOl7k18zjYw0):

_"Zach LaVine is out for at least one week with an ankle sprain that was announced Wednesday, but LaVine and DeMar DeRozan have certainly been made available."_

Although DeRozan's scoring output is down to 18.2 points per game (that would be his lowest since 2012-13), he remains a high-level shot creator and master of the midrange. Plus, he's shooting the 3-ball better than he ever has, connecting on over 40% of his longballs.

In year 17, DeRozan is still a valuable player. Just probably not on this miserable Kings team. But anyone looking for some offensive juice would still do themself some good by inquiring about the former Bulls bucket-getter.

DeMar DeRozan could be on his way to a contender at trade deadline

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DeRozan's deal runs through next season, meaning any team that trades for him doesn't just view him as a rental player, but someone who will start next year with the club, too. DeRozan may not be the most desired player on his own team come trade season — young guard Keon Ellis is a hot name on the block, [according to Dan Woike of The Athletic](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6902319/2025/12/19/lakers-trade-rumors-deadline-needs/):

_Sacramento’s Keon Ellis, another player coveted by teams looking for on-ball defensive help, could certainly be traded by the deadline as he enters free agency this summer. League sources believe the current price tag on Ellis is a protected first-round pick._

Is a fire sale coming for the Kings? Could DeRozan, and Zach LaVine, both find new homes once again? Could the Kings try to package DeRozan _with_ Ellis in one deal for a bigger return? Are the Lakers obviously going to be the ones who end up with DeMar, making Bulls fans sick?

We're about a year and a half removed from DeRozan's last games as a Bull. Seeing how the Kings — and the rest of the league — perceive his value now will be one of the storylines to monitor as slop season heats up.

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