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Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan acknowledged his reunion with Zach LaVine following a blockbuster three-team trade involving the Kings, Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.
DeRozan posted a picture of himself with his current Kings teammate and former Bulls teammate on his Instagram story.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, LaVine and three first-round picks were sent to the Kings while star point guard De’Aaron Fox headed to the Spurs. The Bulls also received Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter and their own 2025 draft pick back from San Antonio.
DeRozan and LaVine were teammates in Chicago from the 2021-22 season through the team’s 2023-24 campaign.
While the Bulls only made one playoff appearance during their shared tenure, they combined to earn three All-Star nods over that span.
Although DeRozan left to join the Kings in a sign-and-trade agreement in July 2024, there never appeared to be any animosity between the two players. In fact, he called for LaVine to receive All-Star consideration following a clash between Sacramento and Chicago on Jan. 12.
“The way Zach is playing I hope he makes All-Star,” DeRozan said after the game, via Sam Smith of NBA.com. “I hope he’s credited for the play he’s been having; it’s not easy. That dude works extremely hard. I remember the times he was dealing with his knee. He was so frustrated; he just wanted to be out there and play and contribute, playing through injuries.”
“So to see him healthy and doing what we all know he’s capable of doing, it’s not surprising to see,” he added. “But it’s definitely gratifying.”
In 42 starts with Chicago prior to the trade, LaVine averaged 24.0 points and 4.8 rebounds to go along with 4.5 assists per game. He shot a career-high 51.1 percent from the field and 44.6 percent from three-point territory.
With Sacramento sitting at No. 10 in the Western Conference standings with a 24-24 record, DeRozan and LaVine will look to help the Kings close out the year strong and compete for a playoff berth.
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