ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Saturday evening that the Sacramento Kings are buying free agent DeMar DeRozan in a three-year, $74 million sign-and-trade deal involving the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs. As a part of the deal, Harrison Barnes and an unprotected 2031 decide swap will go to the Spurs, whereas Chris Duarte, two second-round picks and money will go to the Bulls.
The Kings have been wanting so as to add one other star participant to a core that features De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray and Malik Monk after lacking the playoffs final season. This commerce carries vital fantasy basketball and betting implications. However will it make the Kings a real contender within the Western Convention? Let’s take a better look. — Eric Moody
Fantasy worth: Can DeRozan thrive as a scorer in Sacramento?
The six-time All-Star, who turns 35 subsequent month, is coming off a powerful three-year run with the Bulls, throughout which DeRozan averaged 25.5 PPG. A giant a part of that scoring got here from the midrange space. DeRozan has been probably the most prolific scorer on midrange makes an attempt throughout that span, and the margin between him and the second-highest quantity scorer, Kevin Durant, is huge. Final season, he averaged 24.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 5.3 APG. DeRozan additionally completed second in Clutch Participant of the Yr voting, behind Stephen Curry. Additionally, he led the league in complete minutes performed final season at age 34, making him the oldest participant to attain this feat. DeRozan has not missed greater than 11 video games in a season since 2012.
Earlier in his profession, DeRozan spent most of his time at taking pictures guard earlier than transitioning to small ahead over the previous 5 years. He’ll stay a high fantasy possibility with the Kings, notably in factors leagues versus class codecs. Nonetheless, he will not assist the Kings tackle their want for dimension, size, and protection, which is essential since Sacramento has ranked within the backside half of the league in factors allowed per 100 possessions over that time-frame. — Moody
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Betting implications: Are the Kings legit contenders in 2024-25?
In 2023, the Kings made the playoffs for the primary time because the 2005-2006 season. Nonetheless, final season, Sacramento landed within the play-in event and misplaced to the New Orleans Pelicans within the matchup for the No. 8 seed. Though the Kings had been determined for somebody apart from Fox to run the offense and create pictures in a high-level playoff setting, I can not shake the sensation that DeRozan’s addition is extra about satisfying an possession group trying to recapture the magic from the 2022-2023 season. Let me clarify.
Sacramento has ranked within the high half of the league in factors scored per 100 possessions over the past two seasons. The Kings’ mantra is to play at a quick tempo and outscore opponents whereas taking part in mediocre protection. Whereas DeRozan does give the Kings a legit third possibility behind Fox and Sabonis, the truth is that protection is the higher concern right here.
The issue is DeRozan is not nice on protection, and he cannot make a lot of an impression on offense when he does not have the ball. The Kings have already got lots of ball-handling with Fox and Monk, each of whom command excessive utilization charges. Moreover, the Kings run lots of their offense by way of Domantas Sabonis. Their system emphasizes motion, each off the ball and with their gamers, however DeRozan is a little bit of a ball-stopper. Whereas he’s a strong playmaker when he has the ball, Fox and Monk are additionally not recognized for his or her distinctive protection.
Moreover, the Kings haven’t got a high-end rim protector, and let’s be actual, Sabonis is an offense-first huge. The lack of Barnes, particularly on the defensive finish, shall be felt by the Kings. Though Keon Ellis emerged as a superb defender late final season, with DeRozan on the town, will Ellis even be offered sufficient minutes to make an impression?
Though it is a cliché, the phrase “protection wins championships” holds true within the NBA. Whereas including a gifted participant like DeRozan would possibly look like a terrific transfer on the floor, the Kings’ defensive woes shall be robust to beat in a stacked Western Convention. Till Sacramento addresses these points, it is onerous to take them severely as a contender for the convention title (+3300 at ESPN BET) or the NBA championship (+7500). Nonetheless, DeRozan does elevate the Kings’ common season ground when it comes to win complete, provided that Sacramento now have two high clutch performers in DeRozan (+20000 to win common season MVP) and Fox. This additionally makes betting on the Kings to win the Pacific Division (+370) an intriguing wager. — Moody
Pacific Division Odds:
Different strikes across the NBA:
Klay Thompson to Dallas Mavericks: Thompson left his Warriors’ house to hitch a Mavericks squad that desperately wants a constant 3-point shooter on the wing. Through the common season, the Mavericks performed two departed wings – Tim Hardaway Jr. and Derrick Jones Jr. – a mixed 50+ minutes per sport, and in that point they mixed for 23.0 PPG on a mixed 8.1 of 18.9 (42.9 FG%) from the sphere and three.8 of 10.7 (35.5 3P%) from behind the arc. Thompson ought to be capable to produce very near that quantity of scoring and 3-point taking pictures in about 60% of these minutes, because of higher taking pictures effectivity. Thompson ought to get higher pictures in Dallas, taking part in off the gravity and playmaking of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, than even what he was used to in Golden State. As a substitute of getting to function a lot off the transfer, which has gotten tougher as he has aged and are available off main leg accidents, Thompson ought to get extra spot-up seems to be, notably within the corners.
Previous to the offseason strikes, whereas with the Warriors, I had Thompson projected round one hundred and thirtieth in my way-too-early rankings. This transfer probably strikes him again into my top-100 as a strong beginning flex possibility.
Buddy Hield to Golden State Warriors: The logic for this transfer appears clear. The Warriors misplaced Klay Thompson and changed him with the participant whose offensive sport most resembles his. With the Warriors final season, Thompson averaged 17.9 PPG on 6.4 of 14.7 (43.2 %) FG and three.5 of 9.0 (38.7 3P%) from downtown in 29.7 MPG. Hield has profession averages of 43.4 FG% and 30.0 3P%, on pictures similar to those he ought to get with the Warriors. Thompson began nearly all of final season, however by the tip he was coming off the bench. Hield, too, combined beginning and coming off the bench for each the Indiana Pacers and the Philadelphia 76ers final season. He performed fewer minutes (25.7 MPG) than Thompson final season, however the season earlier than averaged 31.0 MPG for the Pacers and scored 16.8 PPG.
One space Hield has a transparent benefit over Thompson is availability. Hield has averaged about one missed sport per season in his profession, and that sturdiness helps his projected fantasy totals. Previous to the transfer, Hield projected to a borderline fantasy roster spot within the 130s of the rankings. With this transfer, he rises to only exterior of the top-100, firmly in play for a beginning flex spot in typical fantasy hoops leagues.
Harrison Barnes to San Antonio Spurs: Barnes is a 12-year veteran with a historical past of availability {and professional} scoring, each inside and out of doors the arc. Barnes turns into the second notable veteran to hitch the very younger Spurs this offseason, and presumably he’ll be anticipated to work with Chris Paul to assist Victor Wembanyama and the growing Spurs study to play successful basketball. It is not clear whether or not Barnes will begin or come off the bench, however he’ll probably rating extra per-minute taking part in off Wembanyama on a workforce with out dominant perimeter scorers than he did on a Kings squad that had been chock-full of perimeter scoring choices.
Previous to the transfer, I had Barnes ranked 141st in my way-too-early rankings. He has the potential to maneuver up into the 110 to 130 vary with this transfer, with the variability tied to his unsure function. We should always get a greater thought of what his function must be later within the offseason.
Caleb Martin to Philadelphia 76ers: Martin has toggled between beginning and coming off the bench for the Warmth over the past two seasons, however seems slated to be the fifth starter on the 76ers this season. He can be a job participant 3-and-D ahead on a 76ers squad that includes three high-usage scorers, so would probably produce numbers just like the ten.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.4 3-pointers and 1.4 mixed steals and blocks he averaged in 23 begins for the Warmth final season.
Previous to the transfer, Martin ranked 182nd in my way-too-early rankings, exterior of draft vary for all however the deepest fantasy leagues. If he’s a full-time starter in Philadelphia, his upside may get him nearer to that top-150 and consideration for late spherical fantasy draft consideration. — Andre Snellings