The Sacramento Kings acquiring DeMar DeRozan
During the 2022-23 NBA season, the Sacramento Kings won 48 games during the regular season and became one of the best stories in the Western Conference. Last season, during the 2023-24 NBA season, the Kings took a slight step back and won 46 games. Something was off as many expected the Kings to continue to take steps forward in their progression and not a step back. Nevertheless, heading into the 2024 NBA offseason, the hope was that this franchise could figure out what went wrong and try to remedy it.
In that offseason, the Kings made the bold move to acquire DeMar DeRozan via sign-and-trade from the Chicago Bulls. It was a move that they believed would help resurrect their offense and, in the process, give the team some added legitimacy with the addition of a veteran star. At least through the first quarter of the regular season, the Kings' offense has rebounded but the Kings are at an even worse win pace than they were a year ago. Because it appears the Kings are taking another step back this year, you can't help but wonder if there's some regret in the acquisition of DeRozan.
Why there may be regret
Again, DeRozan was signed with the hope of helping push the Kings forward as a team in the West hierarchy. Right now, the Kings are trending in the wrong direction. They are scrambling for answers and the fact may be that this team is just not good enough to compete with the rest of the Western Conference. If that were to be the case, it would be a huge disappointment for the front office. Heading into the start of this season, the overwhelming belief was that if Sacramento wasn't able to have a bounce-back year there would be some changes awaiting this team.
Right now, the Kings have not been able to improve from where they were last season and there's a good chance that there's going to be at least some big move coming during the offseason. I'm not sure if it will involve any of their core players but that can't be considered off the table with the way the Kings have struggled so far this season. Just a couple of years ago, the hope was at an all-time high for the Kings. Right now, the argument can be made that it may be right back at a low for the team. Maybe DeRozan was the wrong offseason target for the Kings.