The LA Clippers may be trying to add another name to “The Unction.”
Sacramento Kings veteran swingman DeMar DeRozan is drawing trade interest from the Clippers, Sam Amick of The Athletic reported on Monday. Amick notes that DeRozan, who is making $24.75 million this season, only has a partial guarantee ($10 million of his $25.7 million salary) for next season.
The news comes with the Kings quickly spiraling into the abyss. They are now 4-13 on the year (14th in the Western Conference) and appear to be willing to move some of their more expensive veteran names ahead of the February trade deadline.
As for the Clippers, they are not much better at 5-12 (12th in the West). But they need to maximize the window of their current aging core of James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. Another secondary scorer and creator is also very much necessary now that Bradley Beal is out for the season due to a hip injury.
DeRozan, now 36, is notably a native of Los Angeles. Averaging an underwhelming 17.9 points per game for the Kings this season, DeRozan has also already been linked to the Clippers several times in the past.
Of course, another has-been former star might be a recipe for disaster at this point for Clippers (the oldest team in the NBA this season by average age), particularly with the need to develop younger wings like Kobe Sanders, Cam Christie, and Jordan Miller. But if the Clippers are really desperate to vault themselves back into contention as soon as possible, it looks like they may try to kick the tires on the six-time All-Star DeRozan.
