Kings Make Clutch Deal To Acquire DeMar DeRozan
DeRozan a major piece to the puzzle as Sacramento looks to contend in a tough Western Conference
Dan Karpuc - Jul 8, 2024, 11:59am EDT
The Sacramento Kings made a bold move in their pursuit of success in the Western Conference by acquiring free agent guard DeMar DeRozan in a sign-and-trade with the Chicago Bulls. The Kings secured DeRozan in a three-year, $74 million sign-and-trade deal, sending forward Harrison Barnes and an unprotected 2031 pick swap to the San Antonio Spurs, and guard Chris Duarte, two second-round draft picks, and cash to the Bulls.
Sacramento's decision to pursue DeRozan was rooted in their desire to enhance their offensive firepower after enjoying back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2006. DeRozan will join forces with All-Star guard De'Aaron Fox, All-Star center Domantas Sabonis, and promising young forward Keegan Murray. This strategic move is aimed at making the Kings a more formidable offensive team in the highly competitive Western Conference.
DeRozan, a six-time All-Star who will turn 35 next month, has enjoyed an impressive three-year scoring run with the Chicago Bulls. He made the All-Star team in two of those seasons and averaged 24.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in his most recent campaign. Notably, he finished second to Stephen Curry in the voting for the NBA's 2023-2024 Clutch Player of the Year Award.
DeRozan, a three-time All-NBA selection, was the ninth pick in the 2009 NBA draft by the Toronto Raptors. Throughout his 15 NBA seasons, he has played for the Raptors, Spurs, and Bulls, averaging 21.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists across 1,110 career games.
Impact on the Kings
The Kings were 20-19 in clutch situations last season, ranking 6th in Defensive Rating, 18th in Offensive Rating, and 20th in Turnover Percentage. They also had the 8th lowest mark in assisted made field goals in those situations. DeRozan, who led the NBA with 4.6 points in 40 clutch situations for the Bulls last season, is expected to provide a reliable scoring option besides Fox and Sabonis in critical moments. His clutch performance helped the Bulls achieve a 24-16 record in those games (compared to Curry's 4.4 points in 43 clutch situations for the Warriors, who had a 23-20 mark).
The Kings' roster is currently very guard-heavy, featuring Fox, DeRozan, Malik Monk, Devin Carter, Keon Ellis, and Kevin Huerter, with Murray as the only real wing. Potential targets to balance the roster include Cam Johnson or Kyle Kuzma, but Huerter would likely have to be the one to be moved, which could cause some issues based on the desire of other teams to take on his salary.
Current Depth Chart:
- PG: De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, Devin Carter
- SG: Kevin Huerter, Keon Ellis, Colby Jones
- SF: DeMar DeRozan, Jalen McDaniels
- PF: Keegan Murray, Trey Lyles
- C: Domantas Sabonis, Alex Len
Impact on Betting Markets
Despite the high-profile acquisition of DeRozan, the Kings' championship odds remained unchanged at +6600 according to BetMGM. However, FanDuel lists the Kings at +350 to win the Pacific Division (tied with the Lakers for second shortest odds behind the Suns at +250), +2500 to win the West (11th), and has +6125 consensus odds to win the NBA title (19th).
It's probably best to take a wait-and-see approach as the Kings seem to still be a piece or two away from becoming a legitimate contender. But, this is a great start.