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DeMar DeRozan and the Sacramento Kings' up-and-down 2024-25 season ended on Wednesday night. Despite DeRozan scoring 33 points, the Kings lost to the Mavericks 120-106.
Despite the loss, DeRozan broke Atlanta Hawks star guard Trae Young's Play-In Tournament scoring record, marking himself as the highest-scoring player in tournament history. As he worked to keep the Kings in the game on Wednesday at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, DeRozan netted his 139th career Play-In point, surpassing Young's previous record of 137.
“It's probably the most I've been through in my 16-year career. The season we had was a lot. It’s too hard to fathom right now,” said the Kings' star forward after the game.
The 35-year-old capped his debut season with the Kings, averaging 22.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. Despite his consistent play, DeRozan emerged as Sacramento's most dependable player, though the team ultimately failed to support him.
It's uncommon for a proven star like DeRozan to choose the Kings, but the 16-year veteran selected Sacramento last offseason, eager to team up with De'Aaron Fox and Mike Brown. Following a coaching change with Brown’s firing and a blockbuster trade that sent Fox to the Spurs, DeRozan ended up alone. The aging star is in an awkward position with the Kings missing the postseason yet again.
DeMar DeRozan's disappointment with the Kings missing the Playoffs
The Kings are far from being contenders, and the 35-year-old veteran may be ready to pursue a better opportunity this offseason. After the season-ending loss on Wednesday night, DeRozan addressed his disappointment of not making the Playoffs this year.
“I'm going into my 17th season, that's the reality of it. For me, you don't have many opportunities left to give yourself a chance to compete in the playoffs. That's all you kind of want at this stage of your career. Just get a chance to get in there and see what happens,” DeRozan remarked.
DeRozan understands that his time in the league is running out, and spending his final years with a struggling Kings team that lacks clear direction is likely not his ideal scenario.
The Kings star wing also addressed his future with the Kings, acknowledging that he will take time to decide his next move. However, it’s clear that the current situation in Sacramento is unlikely to be his preferred choice moving forward.
“It's difficult. I'm not trying to play another five, six years. You've only got so many years. That window closes quick When you think about it from that perspective, it's definitely tough. You don't get many opportunities and you don't wanna waste the opportunities that you have left either,” DeRozan continued.
“You always want a foundation that's stable and understood going forward,” he added. “I'm pretty sure a lot of decisions have got to be made from top to bottom. The next couple days, the next couple weeks, just process everything that went on. From a personal standpoint, that's gonna be a priority, and we'll see what happens from there.”
An hour after Wednesday’s game, the Kings fired general manager Monte McNair, validating many of DeRozan’s concerns about decisions made at the top. This move is likely to push DeRozan even further away, as Sacramento's future grows more uncertain.
