National Basketball Association

'The opportunity passed': DeMar DeRozan no longer thinks about Lakers, is committed to Kings

Updated Dec. 30, 2024 5:57 p.m. ET

It has been a dizzying stretch for the Sacramento Kings after they fired two-time Coach of the Year Mike Brown on Friday, marking the latest speed bump for six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan, who joined the team in free agency last summer with the hopes of winning his first NBA championship alongside De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.

The Kings were an attractive landing spot for DeRozan, especially after they turned heads in 2023, reaching the playoffs for the first time in 17 years and forcing an exciting, hard-fought seven-game first-round series against the then-reigning champion Golden State Warriors.

It seemed as though their potential was just starting to crest, and the acquisition of a talent of DeRozan's caliber could push them over the edge.

But the Kings have struggled this season and are sitting in 12th place in the Western Conference with a disappointing 13-19 record. Most recently, they've lost six games in a row.

For DeRozan, who was also considering the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat in free agency, it has been a rockier road than expected.

"It's been a process," DeRozan told FOX Sports. "Been through a lot so far this season. Just trying to figure it out. But sometimes that builds character and brings another type of resilience about you."

DeRozan acknowledged it was a bit of a shock when the Kings fired Brown, who was the unanimous Coach of the Year in 2023.

"I really haven't processed it yet," DeRozan told FOX Sports. "It just happened [Friday]. I came [to Los Angeles], seen the family, went to sleep, woke up, It probably won't really sink in until [Sunday]."

One of the reasons why the Kings targeted DeRozan, a savvy 35-year-old veteran, was because their offense had slipped from being ranked first in the league in 2023 to 13th last season. DeRozan is a skilled ball-handler and scorer who has one of the best midrange games in the league.

This season, he's averaging 20.7 points on 48 percent shooting from the field and 30.9 percent from beyond the arc, helping the Kings' offensive rating improve to seventh.

Fox said his newest co-star has been a great complement to the team's roster, despite pundits questioning whether he was the right fit because the Kings needed bolstering from beyond the arc on the defensive end.

"Just the way that he can come down and he commands," Fox said. He puts his imprint on the game. I think he's a much better playmaker than people give him credit for, especially when he's seeing double teams. At times, great players have to score through double teams. But a lot of times he makes the right play."

But when asked what it would take for Fox, Sabonis and DeRozan to reach their potential, Fox didn't hesitate.

"It's going to start on the defensive end," Fox said of the Kings, who are 17th in defensive rating. "We've been top 10 in offense the majority of the year, so that's not where our problem lies. At the end of the day, we have to at some point buckle down and get stops when we need to."

The Kings' defensive holes were on display in their most recent loss to the Lakers (132-122) on Saturday. The Kings allowed the Lakers to shoot 59.7 percent from the field and 53.8 percent from beyond the 3-point line in a game in which LeBron James was sidelined because of an illness.

But for DeRozan, who had 25 points on 12-for-17 shooting, seven assists and six rebounds, there apparently weren't any thoughts of what could've been if he had joined that team instead.

DeRozan and the Lakers have almost crossed paths multiple times, with him believing it was a done deal that they were going to trade for him in 2021 when he was with San Antonio. But LA pivoted, and went on to trade for Russell Westbrook. For DeRozan, who grew up in Compton as a Lakers fan, it was a big disappointment at the time. But his journey instead led him to Chicago, where he once again became an All-Star in 2022 and 2023 after not making the team the three years prior.

DeRozan said he no longer wistfully wonders "what if" with the team he grew up idolizing.

"Nah, not no more," DeRozan told FOX Sports. "I don't think about it anymore, honestly. The opportunity passed. Just move on from it."

Over the past few years, DeRozan has not only made headlines for his strong play on the court, but also for his candor with his struggles with mental health and his advocacy around encouraging others in need to get help.

DeRozan's path has taken him to four different teams over the last seven years. He went from nearly reaching the NBA Finals with Toronto to getting stunned by a trade to a rebuilding San Antonio Spurs team in 2018, which he acknowledged initially left him spiraling. But DeRozan found things to cherish along each stop, which, in San Antonio, most notably was Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

DeRozan grew close with Popovich, who cried with him after his father died in February 2021, something he revealed on the "25/10 Show." Popovich wrote the foreword to his book about his mental wellness journey, "Above the Noise." And after Popovich suffered a stroke in November, DeRozan made it clear that he'll forever be in his corner.

"I haven't talked to him but he understands where I stand, our relationship, the love and respect that I'm going to always have for him," DeRozan said. "I always send out my well-wishes to him. But just letting him get back healthy. I'm sure I'll talk to him soon."

DeRozan's path has been winding, and his latest challenge is a big one, but if there's one thing he has gleaned from his path, it's perspective.

He's playing alongside some great young talent and he's embracing the roller coaster, knowing that at every turn, something unexpected could happen.

So, when asked how he'd describe the season so far, he didn't sugarcoat things or overreact. Instead, he's throwing himself into the work and embracing whatever lies ahead.

"It's hard to say what it's been other than a journey right now," he told FOX Sports. "Going through the process. Figuring it out. But it's been fun."

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.

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