The Sacramento Kings, who are sitting at the 15th spot of the Western Conference with a record of 12-38, were thought to be a team that would be active ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline. And that thought has already turned to truth. On Jan 31. the Kings sent off PG Denis Schroder and SG Keon Ellis to the Cleveland Cavaliers in return for SF De’Andre Hunter. This was in a three-team deal with the Chicago Bulls.
This move in acquiring Hunter makes one of the Kings’ vets even more likely to be traded, DeMar DeRozan. In his 17th season, DeRozan is averaging 19 PPG while shooting 50.3% from the field. Despite being 36, DeRozan still has the capability of raising the ceiling of an NBA team, especially one looking to make a playoff push. One team that would be a good match for a deal involving DeRozan is the Boston Celtics.
After it became clear that Jayson Tatum would miss extended time, many people just considered that the Celtics would fall out of the category of being a contending team this season. But a little over halfway through the regular season, they have a record of 30-18 and are in third place in the Eastern Conference. A veteran scorer added alongside Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, while Tatum continues to make his way back, would help raise the level of the Celtics greatly. Bringing in a guy like DeRozan in exchange for a younger player that fits the timeline of a Kings rebuild would benefit both organizations.
Sacramento Kings-Boston Celtics Mock Trade
Jan 30, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons (4) drives on Sacramento Kings guard Nique Clifford (5) during the second half at TD Garden. | Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
Celtics Receive-
DeMar DeRozan
Kings Receive-
Anfernee Simons
2031 First Round Pick (via BOS)
Why This Trade Makes Sense For The Kings
The addition of Simons in Sacramento, as they continue their rebuild in this mock, is a good piece. He has shown flashes of being an elite scorer. One of his main problems as a player has been consistency. With the Kings, he will get the time to lock in on these scoring skills and could develop into a feature piece for their rebuild at the age of 26. This is worth the risk, and the first-round pick Sacramento gets in this mock further emphasizes that.
This 2031 first-round pick is huge for the Kings in gaining more throws at the draft dartboard, in trying to get players to turn their franchise outlook around.
Why This Trade Makes Sense For The Celtics
The Celtics get a player who could potentially make a nothing season into a something season. DeRozan has been in the playoffs seven times in his career, compared to Simons, who has played three times and had a limited role.
The addition of DeRozan also takes some scoring stress off of Brown. This season, Brown is averaging a career high in PPG, averaging 29.4. Come the playoffs, where defense hits another level, they are going to need another player who can create their own shot at a high level, and they get that in this mock with DeRozan.
Fantasy Basketball Impact of This Mock Trade
DeRozan’s stats will likely not change a lot after this mock deal with the Celtics. The big winner, in this, fantasy-wise, is Simons. He will go from having a big bench role on the Celtics to being a likely starter on the Kings. His 11.5 shots per game average should see a significant jump, and his assists (2.4) and rebounds (2.4) averages should also tick up with more playing time (averages 24.5 minutes per game).Â
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