30 Teams in 30 Days: Kings Secure DeMar DeRozan, Set Sights on Advancing in the West

Offseason

Re-signing: Alex Len, Malik MonkAdditions: DeMar DeRozan (trade), Jalen McDaniels (trade), Jordan McLaughlin (free agent), Orlando Robinson (free agent)Draft: Devin CarterDepartures: Harrison Barnes (to Spurs), Chris Duarte (to Bulls), Davion Mitchell (to Raptors), Kessler Edwards (to Mavericks), Sasha Vezenkov (to Raptors)Unsigned Free Agents: Jordan Ford, JaVale McGee, Jalen Slawson

Last season

Growth halted for a franchise with a long history of disappointment, as the Kings failed to make the playoffs one season after lighting the beam became the league’s most refreshing gimmick. It was a reminder that the next step is often slippery, as the Kings discovered despite a 46-win season and solid production from the usual suspects in the rotation.

De’Aaron Fox had a career season (26.6 points, 5.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds per game) and Domantas Sabonis was All-NBA for a second time (19.4 ppg and a league-leading 13.7 rpg) while Monk and Keegan Murray supplied helpful support. Defense was an issue at times, however, and the Kings didn’t measure up to other contenders and were a SoFi Play-In Tournament team.

Summer summary

Sacramento doesn’t exactly have a rich history of attracting free agents because of its market and lack of success. So the sign-and-trade deal that brought DeRozan was a significant moment in team history. He’s a mid-range maestro and gives the Kings another clutch player next to Fox. He’s also 35, however, and doesn’t address this team’s need for better defense.

That said, he’s a solid addition and didn’t cost anything (except money, of course) other than Barnes (who was on the way out eventually) and Duarte. The other order of business was re-signing Monk and giving coach Mike Brown a well-deserved contract extension.

Spotlight on

Kevin Huerter had shoulder surgery in late March in the final act of a frustrating 2023-24 season. His production was inconsistent pre-injury and overall a drop from the previous season in scoring average (15.2 ppg to 10.2 ppg) and 3-point shooting (40.2% to 36.1%). The Kings could use a bounce-back season by their best 3-point option after Murray, and if that fails, he could struggle to find a fit in the backcourt with the addition of DeRozan.

How far can the Kings go?

Sacramento is built to compete with the top half of the West. Last season may end up as a small setback, especially with DeRozan aboard. He’ll give the team an added dimension, leadership and a source of reliability in the fourth quarter. Those factors could make all the difference in the seedings.

Do we dare suggest that the Kings are the best team in California? Have those words ever been written or spoken before? Salute to the franchise for arriving at this stage. If all goes well, the Kings could sneak into late May, but that’s a best-case scenario.

Up next: Golden State Warriors | Previously: Los Angeles Lakers

30 Teams in 30 Days: Complete schedule

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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.

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