Kings’ DeMar DeRozan reveals hardest a part of altering NBA groups

The newly acquired Sacramento Kings swingman DeMar DeRozan has performed for 4 groups in his 15-year NBA profession. Nonetheless, he may be the primary one to say that every commerce to a brand new crew in a brand new metropolis would not get simpler, although his newest commerce introduced DeRozan dwelling to California. In a current look on Paul George’s “Podcast P” present, the six-time All-Star defined what makes getting commerce arduous on NBA gamers.

“For me, being away from my children is the hardest,” he stated within the interview. “Since I left Toronto, for essentially the most half, my children have been in LA, so being away from them, lacking plenty of… if it is the daddy-daughter dance or my son obtained an appointment or one thing that you simply miss. You miss sure issues that sort of sting within the second. It sort of places you in a funk when you’ll be able to’t be there.”

The Kings ahead speaks

DeRozan continued, “Particularly my oldest. My oldest child asks questions like, ‘Why have been you not there?’ or ‘Are you gonna be there for this?’ Even the opposite day, certainly one of my daughters requested me, ‘Are you gonna be dwelling for Halloween?’ And it is like, ‘Ugh, s**t, I gotta test the schedule,’ so for me, that is the hardest half out of the whole lot.”

Earlier than arriving on the Kings, DeRozan performed for the Chicago Bulls, which noticed the postseason in 2022 however misplaced within the play-in match for 2 straight years.

In 2022, the Bulls additionally had a wholesome Lonzo Ball, who helped them seize the most effective file within the Jap Convention at one level. As the first scorer on the Bulls, DeRozan averaged 25.5 factors, 5.1 assists, and 4.7 rebounds.

He had additionally performed for the San Antonio Spurs, after a commerce despatched Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors.

This commerce for the disgruntled Spur additionally catapulted DeRozan’s former crew to the NBA championship, which should have stung, given the quite a few playoff eliminations DeRozan’s Raptors confronted courtesy of LeBron James.

It was additionally towards DeRozan’s Raptors that LeBron earned the nickname “LeBronto,” after demolishing the Raptors in 2018 and nearly singlehandedly swept them out of the second spherical.

Now, after three earlier NBA groups, Demar DeRozan appears to be like to revitalize his playoff hopes with the Kings and advance previous the play-in regardless of taking part in in a stacked Western Convention. The younger crew had simply returned to the postseason in 2023, although they misplaced to the then-defending champions Golden State Warriors in an exciting seven video games.

What’s subsequent?

Nonetheless, they stumbled a bit in 2024, failing to enhance upon their earlier 48-34 file and falling brief within the play-in towards the New Orleans Pelicans regardless of avenging their playoff loss to the Warriors.

Whereas the Kings aren’t missing in offense, it would not harm so as to add a playoff veteran like DeRozan to the roster. Nonetheless, it stays to be seen whether or not their fashion of outscoring their opponents each sport will take them far within the postseason.