DeMar DeRozan expands on his decision to sign with Sacramento

Sep 10, 2024, 9:09 AM | Updated: 10:45 am

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

Lead Editor & Kings Beat Writer

It’s not very often that the Sacramento Kings can lure a six-time NBA All-Star to their franchise, but for DeMar DeRozan, the fit was obvious.

Weeks away from making his preseason debut in a Kings uniform, DeRozan sat down with Philadelphia 76ers star forward Paul George on his podcast, Podcast P, to discuss his decision to join Sacramento in free agency.

DeRozan, 35, inked a three-year deal with the Kings in a sign-and-trade deal on July 8th that ended his three-year stint with the Chicago Bulls. While teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Clippers displayed interest in the star, Sacramento set itself aside from the pack to reach an agreement with DeRozan.

“Sac came about, and they were showing interest, real interest,” DeRozan said of the Kings. “When I sat back and looked at it and analyzed the team–great players, great coach, I just always remembered the last couple of years of seeing them light this damn beam, and winning and all of that, the fans going crazy.

“That’s definitely one thing that you want to be a part of. You always want to be a part of a contagious culture of an organization that wants to win.”

Sacramento has turned heads over the past two seasons thanks to solid play from franchise cornerstones De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, posting back-to-back winning seasons and playing postseason games–a first-round Playoff appearance in 2023 and two Play-In games in 2024–for the first time in nearly two decades.

Fox, Sabonis, the recently re-signed Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Malik Monk, and 2023 fourth-overall pick Keegan Murray have formed a young core that DeRozan says he feels he can elevate to the next level, an aspect that also impacted his decision to sign with the Kings.

“When I looked at all of that, it just felt like it fit. It was a big key piece that I felt I could bring from a leadership standpoint, definitely a skill standpoint that could push us over the edge. It became more and more appealing as I waited. I kind of took a while to sign because I just wanted to make sure the next decision I made gave me the best opportunity to win, so I’m definitely looking forward to it.”

More on Kings forward DeMar DeRozan

The Kings and DeRozan came to an agreement on a three-year, $76 million deal (third year is partially guaranteed at $10 million) on July 8th.

DeRozan has been one of the NBA’s top scorers over the past decade, averaging 23.5 points per game since the start of the 2013-14 season. The 6’6 wing is coming off an impressive 2023-24 campaign that saw him average 24.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game on 48/33/85 shooting splits.

The veteran is a gifted scorer in the mid-range, knocking down nearly 50 percent of his jumpers from 10-to-16 feet. DeRozan is also reliable in crunch time, posting top-three finishes in Clutch Player of the Year voting over the past two seasons.

Getting to the foul line is an art form for DeRozan, as the newest member of the Kings ranked second among all NBA leaders in made free throws, third in attempts, and fifth in attempts per game (7.7).

DeRozan is one of 15 NBA players to average 25+ points and 5+ assists per game over the past three seasons–joining potential future teammate De’Aaron Fox–while ranking fifth in Win Shares among the talented group.

Adding DeRozan’s scoring and playmaking abilities to Sacramento’s core is a clear upgrade for a roster that has been in need of a facelift, and the newest member of the Kings will soon be in action as the October 9th preseason opener quickly approaches.

When is the next Sacramento Kings offseason date of interest?

Now that we know when the Kings will suit up for their season-opener, we can look forward to October 24th for the Beam Team’s season-opening matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Training camps will begin at the end of September, meaning there could still be a move or two up general manager Monte McNair’s sleeve to round out Sacramento’s roster before players report to Golden 1 Center.

Be sure to stay locked into Sactown Sports for all of your Sacramento Kings news on player signings, trades, game recaps, and more for the upcoming season.