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We have a new Big 3 in Cali! The Sacramento Kings have decided to finally swing for the fences by trading for Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan. Everyone knew that DeRozan was likely on his way out, but the move to Sacramento took a few people by surprise. This was not how people envisioned DeMar's homecoming would go.
Still, DeRozan and the Kings seem to be pretty ecstatic about the trade. DeRozan was even in the stadium after the trade was announced! Apparently, even Sacramento players had a hand in orchestrating the trade as well. Chris Haynes reports that De'Aaron Fox had a big hand in bringing DeMar DeRozan to the Kings.
“Sources: Sacramento Kings star De’Aaron Fox played a pivotal role by joining today’s meeting to help recruit DeMar DeRozan. The two are ecstatic about partnering together on the court.”
DeRozan, a six-time All-Star and two-time second team All-NBA, joins a Kings team that is on an upward trajectory. Behind Fox, Domantas Sabonis, and Mike Brown's leadership, Sacramento has become an up-and-coming team in the Western Conference. They broke their two-decade long playoff drought a few years back.
Last season, the Kings entered the Play-In Tournament as the ninth seed. Unfortunately, they lost their final game against the New Orleans Pelicans, causing them to miss out on the playoffs. It was a rough end to the season, but there's still a lot of hope for the team entering this year. That hope has more than doubled with DeRozan in the fold.
DeRozan's fit with Fox, Kings
The obvious improvement that DeRozan brings to the table is his scoring. From Toronto to San Antonio to Chicago, DeRozan's scoring has always been his forte. Last season, the star forward averaged 24 points per game with a 58.4 True Shooting percentage. His best work is done in the midrange, but he is also adept in getting to the rim and finishing there. The Kings will love to have a secondary scorer of DeRozan's caliber.
Another area that DeRozan will help the Kings is in the clutch. While Fox has been electric in crunch time, the rest of the team has struggled heavily in that regard. DeRozan, meanwhile, has built a reputation as a clutch performer in the last few years. He may not need to hit game-winners, but DeRozan's steady free throw shooting will be a welcome addition after their struggles there last season.
The fit isn't going to be as seamless as one would like. Both DeRozan and Fox are primarily on-ball creators with mediocre shooting from the outside. Fox took a big leap in three-point shooting last season, but it's not clear yet if it's sustainable. Defense is also going to be a concern for the Kings, especially with Harrison Barnes' departure in the sign-and-trade.
Still, this is a move that the Kings will do ten out of ten times. DeRozan will definitely be a helpful third star in their quest for playoff success. Will Deebo bring the Kings to the Finals in his first season back in California?
