They not like us! After featuring in the music video for the song of the year, DeMar DeRozan has signed for the Kings. That is a sentence I could not imagine writing three years ago. Furthermore, this is the biggest free agent signing in Sacramento Kings history.
In a three-team sign-and-trade, the Kings acquired DeRozan while they gave up Harrison Barnes to the Spurs and Chris Duarte to the Bulls. The Kings also gave up an unprotected pick swap in 2031 to the Spurs. Who knows if there will be a world in 2031?
DeRozan is a six-time All-Star and has made the All-NBA three times. He has averaged at least 20 points for eleven straight seasons. I believed that DeRozan was severely underrated in the wider free agency landscape. DeRozan not signing until the sixth of July shows just that. Despite turning 35 before the season starts, DeRozan still has much to offer a team on the offensive end.
How DeRozan Helps The Kings
DeMar DeRozan was just introduced to the crowd in Sacramento to the tune of Kendrick Lamar’s “They Not Like Us.” pic.twitter.com/yhFu6hy1m7
— Jason Anderson (@JandersonSacBee) July 7, 2024
One of the crucial ways DeRozan will help the Kings is getting to the line and making free throws. During this past season, the Kings seemed to lose games at the free-throw line. By the end of the season, when fans looked at the stats, the Kings were 21st in free throw attempts per game and dead last in free throw percentage. DeRozan reached the free throw line 7.7 times a game and shot 85%. Both would have led the Kings last season.
Another way in which DeRozan will help the Kings is in shot distribution. He’s a master of the midrange. Too few Kings players had only two predictable outcomes when they got the ball; shoot the three, or pass. DeRozan gets to the line, shoots midrange jumpers, and is a sneaky good passer. DeRozan adds variety to this offense, something that was lacking last season.
Keegan Murray is entering his third season. Many Kings fans and front-office personnel believe he can be a superstar. It doesn’t help to have Murray carrying a massive load on offense while also being spectacular on defense. DeRozan comes in and immediately moves Murray down the offensive pecking order, which is a good thing.
Goodbye Harrison Barnes
Harrison Barnes spent six seasons with the Sacramento Kings. In at least half of those seasons, he was in trade rumors. Barnes was a constant professional during his time in the state capital. Barnes on the court often divided opinion. He was inconsistent on both ends of the floor. Barnes only had 13 games of 20-plus points or more. He had 31 games of less than ten points.
Barnes struggled with rebounding as well. While playing forward, your team expects you to rebound consistently. Barnes had 61 games with four or fewer rebounds. This wasn’t good enough.
The writing was on the wall, Barnes’ days for Sacramento were numbered ever since the last game. The Kings essentially swapped his veteran presence for another in DeRozan. Harrison Barnes was a part of the team that ended the playoff drought and will forever be adored for this.
The Next Move
Kings fans had been clamoring for a move like this since before the draft. However, this sign-and-trade was not just about this move. It’s about the next. The Kings still have valuable assets left such as Kevin Huerter and multiple draft picks.
The Kings need wings after Barnes’s departure. The two names constantly linked with the Kings are Kyle Kuzma and Cam Johnson. Both players would immediately help the Kings on the wing.
Johnson is a career 39% three-point shooter. He is a five-foot-eight wing in the perfect three-and-D mold. Johnson would slide right in at the three alongside Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis in the frontcourt. He would certainly even out this roster and wouldn’t need the ball as often as Kuzma.
Speaking of the devil, Kyle Kuzma is another player the Kings have been linked to this offseason. Kuzma put up great scoring stats on a poor Wizards team. He would certainly be energized on defense playing for a better team. The worry for Kuzma will be if he’s able to go from the first option to possibly the third or fourth and still maintain interest while on defense.
The price to get Kuzma would be higher than for Cam Johnson. Despite this, it might be in the interest of the Kings to swing big for Kuzma. He is a better player than Cam Johnson and has won a championship before.
Conclusion
A high-quality player has chosen the Sacramento Kings. This is a testament to the culture and skill of the Kings organization. It still won’t feel real until I see DeRozan out on the court. It’s already an exciting start to the off-season for the Kings, and surely this won’t be the last move the Kings make.
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Featured Image: (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
