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A 3-Team Trade Idea to Land DeMar DeRozan with the LA Clippers
Neither the LA Clippers nor the Sacramento Kings expected to be near the bottom of the Western Conference standings nearly 20 games into the season, but the 2025-26 campaign has not been kind. Be it injuries, chemistry, or general misfortune, both franchises could use a spark to climb, at a minimum, into play-in range.
Recently, The Athletic's Sam Amick linked the two teams, citing league sources that veteran guard DeMar DeRozan "has some interest from the LA Clippers." The Clippers may view DeRozan as a viable replacement for Bradley Beal, out for the year with a hip injury.
The Kings have valued big-name scorers like Zach LaVine and DeRozan, despite their lack of postseason success together in Chicago with the Bulls. While the Clippers may not have the pieces to interest the Kings directly, the Brooklyn Nets have the kind of player Sacramento typically covets.
The following is a three-team trade idea that lands DeRozan with the Clippers and a 24-point-per-game scorer with the Kings.
Full Trade Scenario
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Clippers get:
Kings get:
Nets get:
Notes: The trade would need to wait until at least December 15, when restrictions on Schrรถder and Lopez lift. The Clippers' 2030 first-round pick would have lottery protection in 2030, followed by top-5 in 2031, otherwise conveying as second-rounders in 2031 and 2032.
The Clippers would need to play the 10-day contract game (staying at 13 players for a few weeks) to get back to 14 players while staying under their first-apron hard cap ($195.9 million). DeRozan is acquired through the aggregation of Bogdanoviฤ and Niederhauser. LA would use the Bradley Beal disabled player exception to add Ellis, and the Mo Bamba trade exception for Wilson (within the allowed $250,000 padding).
The Kings remain below the luxury tax threshold ($187.9 million), trading DeRozan and Schrรถder to acquire Porter. The Kevin Huerter trade exception is large enough for Brown. The Nets use cap room to absorb the four incoming players, either waiving or trading Haywood Highsmith and Tyrese Martin before the deal. Regardless, if the former, Brooklyn would stand at about $1.3 million above the minimum team salary requirement ($139.2 million).
Why the LA Clippers Do It
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The Clippers are on a short timeline to win with Kawhi Leonard's contract expiring after the 2026-27 season. Nearly all of the team's contracts line up to expire by then, with the long-term future more of an unknown. LA doesn't have a specific group of young players to build around. They're a "win-now" team that's not winning now.
Forward/center John Collins has been a bright spot, making veteran Brook Lopez somewhat expendable. The argument would be that DeRozan is an upgrade over Bogdanoviฤ, filling the starting shooting guard spot to replace Beal. The Clippers aren't committed to Brown, declining his rookie-scale option, but need to part ways with Niederhauser (recently selected at No. 30 in June's draft) to get a deal done.
Giving up Niederhauser and the future first may be viewed as the Clippers' mortgaging some of the future, but the tailspin is real, and LA doesn't even own its first-round pick in 2026 (likely going to the Oklahoma City Thunder). Landing Ellis is what puts the deal over the top for LA, as he's a willing perimeter defender, secondary playmaker, and capable three-point shooter.
The Clippers need to get younger and more athletic, and while DeRozan doesn't tick those boxes at 36, Ellis and Wilson would be welcome additions. The 14th roster spot would presumably go to Jordan Miller in mid-to-late January.
Why the Sacramento Kings Do It
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The Kings have struggled without Domantas Sabonis (knee), who may not be back until at least mid-December. Getting him back on the floor will help. While Sacramento may continue to flounder until then, they should remain close to play-in territory with teams like the Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers, and Clippers dealing with their own issues.
The Kings land Porter, who is averaging 24.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game with the Nets, without giving up any draft capital or young players. Instead, Sacramento is flipping the first-round pick from the Clippers to Brooklyn, while getting out of the obligation to Schrรถder, who hasn't clicked as well as the team had hoped this offseason.
Does Porter fix what's broken? Maybe not, but he's a gifted scorer with legitimate size (6'10"). He'd round out a starting five with Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray (recently back from injury), Russell Westbrook, and Sabonis. Porter is under contract through 2026-27, which gives Sacramento a little time to evaluate its future with LaVine's player option after this season, and Sabonis locked in through 2027-28.
Why the Brooklyn Nets Do It
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The Nets have been a regular partner in B/R trade ideas, as the only NBA franchise with significant cap space, focusing on rebuilding rather than competing at a high level this season (as reflected in the 3-14 record).
Porter may be the team's best player, but at 27, he's not a part of the team's long-term timeline with young prospects like Egor Demin, Nolan Traorรฉ, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf, and Danny Wolf. Porter is on an expensive contract; cashing him out for a first-round pick (via the Clippers) makes a lot of sense. The Nets acquired an unprotected 2032 first-round pick from the Denver Nuggets to take Porter; this deal would ultimately yield two firsts for Cam Johnson.
Brooklyn gains flexibility with Bogdanoviฤ and Lopez, who have player options totaling a combined $25.2 million before the 2026-27 campaign. The team can let them go for cap space, or hold onto either's contract as a trade asset this summer. Schrรถder has $14.8 million guaranteed next season, but that's significantly less than Porter's $40.8 million. Only $4.4 million of Schrรถder's $15.5 million for 2027-28 is guaranteed, but that's the price the Nets pay to get out of Porter and into the Clippers' first-round pick.
Niederhauser is a bonus, another young prospect who can be appropriately developed in Brooklyn as part of the team's evolving young talent base. Wilson, Martin and Highsmith are roster space casualties, though the Nets can make other moves first if keeping the latter two is a priority.
Email Eric Pincus atย eric.pincus@gmail.comย and follow him on X/Twitterย @EricPincus.
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