DeMar DeRozan, a six-time NBA All-Star, recently shared his thoughts on being passed over by the Los Angeles Lakers—first in 2021, and again during the 2023 offseason. Now part of the Sacramento Kings, DeRozan has shifted focus and is ready to make a major impact with his new team.
In a conversation with The Athletic’s Sam Amick, DeRozan expressed his desire to play for the Lakers back in 2021. However, the Lakers decided to trade for Russell Westbrook instead, a move that didn’t pan out as they hoped.
“You just learn how to deal with it from a business standpoint,” DeRozan told Amick. “Obviously, I have my selfish reasons for wanting to be able to play at home, but sometimes it just doesn’t work out that way. And sometimes it probably isn’t the best decision for me either. So after that didn’t happen, I didn’t dwell on it. I wasn’t mad. They made their choice, and I just left it at that.”
After missing out on the Lakers in 2021, DeRozan signed with the Chicago Bulls, earning another All-Star appearance. Unfortunately, injuries to teammates Lonzo Ball and Zach LaVine hindered the team’s success.
Second Missed Opportunity with Lakers in 2023
This past summer, DeRozan’s name resurfaced in discussions about joining the Lakers. However, after his 2021 experience, DeRozan admitted that he was more cautious this time around.
“After the last time, the last situation, you really don’t get your hopes all the way up,” DeRozan explained to Amick. “I thought it was going to happen the first time before I went to Chicago, but when that didn’t happen, I didn’t have high hopes this time because you already see how it could play out.”
Once it became clear the Lakers weren’t moving forward, DeRozan quickly pivoted and signed a three-year, $74 million contract with the Sacramento Kings in a sign-and-trade deal with the Bulls. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, the Lakers had only been willing to offer DeRozan the midlevel exception, after LeBron James agreed to a pay cut.
LeBron’s Interest in DeRozan
Interestingly, LeBron James had included DeRozan on a short list of players he was willing to take a pay cut to sign, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
“LeBron and Rich Paul met with the Lakers on this topic and agreed on a short list of players LeBron would be willing to take less money to get,” Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective podcast. “DeMar DeRozan was on that list.”
DeRozan’s High Hopes with the Kings
Now with the Sacramento Kings, DeRozan is setting lofty goals. During an appearance on ESPN’s First Take, he made a bold prediction: the Kings will reach the Western Conference Finals this season.
While predicting an NBA Finals appearance would have been even bolder, a Western Conference Finals berth would still be a major achievement for the Kings, who haven’t won a playoff series since the 2003-04 season and haven’t made the Western Conference Finals since 2002. The team’s last championship came in 1951 when they were the Rochester Royals.
With back-to-back winning seasons under their belt, Sacramento is aiming high for the 2024-25 season, and DeRozan’s presence gives the team a proven scorer. He has averaged over 20 points per game for 11 straight seasons, and his ability to deliver in clutch moments adds a valuable dimension.
With De’Aaron Fox leading from the perimeter and Domantas Sabonis posing a matchup problem for opposing bigs, the Kings are poised to make some noise in the Western Conference.
A Tough Road Ahead
Despite DeRozan’s optimism, the Western Conference is loaded with strong contenders. Teams like the Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Dallas Mavericks all have realistic title aspirations.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, and Los Angeles Clippers are loaded with star talent and playoff experience. Even teams like the Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans could improve, making the Kings’ path to the Western Conference Finals challenging.
Still, DeRozan believes his new team will turn heads this season, saying, “I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people,” he said. “We have the pieces, the leadership, and the mindset to do something special.” With DeRozan leading the way, the Kings could be in for a breakout season—just as he’s predicting.
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