Trade & FA 2024-25:

[SleepingHero]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5621320...ed_article

The Kings went hard after the Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen earlier in the week, protecting Keegan Murray in the discussions but putting on the table what they believe was a substantial enough picks-based offer, team sources said. But they put a deadline to their side of the deal, needing an answer quickly considering the urgency of the dissolving market.

Utah didn’t meet it. There’s growing skepticism leaguewide that Jazz executive Danny Ainge will actually move on any Markkanen deal. So the Kings pivoted quickly to DeRozan, getting wind he’d actually have interest and then hitting the gas pedal. They had several veteran players and assistant coach Leandro Barbosa, who played two seasons with DeRozan in Toronto, call and give their pitch.