With a new era officially underway in Sacramento under the leadership of Scott Perry and Doug Christie, the Kings head into the 2025 offseason facing significant decisions. After a disappointing season that exposed deep roster flaws, the organization is expected to reassess its core and potentially initiate major changes.
One of the central dilemmas facing the Kings involves the future of veteran forward DeMar DeRozan. While still productive, his fit with the current roster is questionable. Sacramento has struggled with a lack of balance, featuring too many ball-dominant scorers and not enough contributors who offer defensive versatility, floor spacing, or secondary playmaking.
One trade scenario gaining attention involves a potential deal with the Detroit Pistons. In this hypothetical exchange, Sacramento would send DeRozan to Detroit in return for veteran point guard Dennis Schröder and wing Simone Fontecchio. The deal would likely require a sign-and-trade agreement involving Schröder re-signing with Detroit before being moved.
Why Sacramento Would Consider the Trade
The Kings would gain two assets who address multiple roster weaknesses. Schröder, a veteran floor general, brings proven point-of-attack defense and playoff experience. He has had an uneven career but is coming off a strong showing in the postseason, where he demonstrated efficiency and composure in a tough series.
Fontecchio, meanwhile, is an underrated 3-and-D wing who provides shooting, size, and defensive metrics that could help bolster the Kings’ rotation. Despite falling out of the rotation with his current team late in the season, his profile fits a need in Sacramento’s system, and he could be a valuable buy-low addition.
While Sacramento would ideally want to acquire draft compensation in such a trade, DeRozan’s age and positional redundancy limit his market. Landing two rotation-caliber players without attaching negative assets would represent a realistic and practical outcome.
Why Detroit Might Say Yes
The Pistons, who showed promising growth this past season, are looking to take the next step by adding a secondary scorer to support Cade Cunningham. Acquiring DeRozan would help lighten Cunningham’s offensive burden while providing leadership and consistent production. In 2024-25, DeRozan once again averaged over 22 points per game, continuing a streak of 12 consecutive seasons scoring 20+ points.
However, DeRozan’s on-court fit raises questions. He is not an off-ball threat and remains a limited three-point shooter, which could create spacing issues. Additionally, his defensive deficiencies run counter to the Pistons’ emphasis on building a gritty, defensive-minded identity. While he raises the team’s floor, the long-term fit is debatable.
DeRozan’s Time in Sacramento: Mixed Results
DeRozan joined the Kings through a high-profile three-team sign-and-trade last offseason, arriving with expectations that he could help push the team toward legitimate contention in the Western Conference. His production remained steady, but his presence didn’t dramatically shift the team’s overall success. Sacramento performed only slightly better with DeRozan on the floor compared to when he sat, a metric that casts doubt on his impact given his All-Star status.
He played 77 games and remained a durable contributor. Still, Sacramento’s roster construction—especially the presence of other score-first players like Malik Monk and Zach LaVine—created a redundancy that limited overall team cohesion.
Despite the lack of a seamless fit, DeRozan’s contract (three years, $74 million) remains team-friendly for a player of his caliber. His consistency and professionalism ensure value, but with Sacramento looking to re-tool and move toward a more balanced approach, trading DeRozan now could provide the reset the team needs.
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