The 2025-2026 season got off to a rough start for the Sacramento Kings after blowing a 20-point lead and losing to the Phoenix Suns. But even in the midst of that epic level of bed-crapping, DeMar DeRozan showed up and proved that he still has plenty of gas in the tank.
DeRozan is going into his 17th season in the NBA, which would have made him the most experienced player on the Kings’ roster. Then, the front office went and signed Russell Westbrook who is going into his 18th season. Suddenly, DeMar looks young in comparison. Well, younger.
The way he played last night, you’d think it was ten years ago and he was still on the Toronto Raptors. DeRozan was the first King in double-digits, wrapping the game up with 29 points, six rebounds, nine assists, two steals, and one block. That’s a good evening’s work.
DeRozan amazes with the Kings
Possibly his most impressive stat from last night’s loss is that he played 37:25 minutes, meaning he was on the court for more than three quarters of the game. The next closest was Zach LaVine, who played for 34:33 minutes. No one else on the Kings crossed the 30 minute mark.
The speaks to the 36-year-old’s high level of conditioning. Very few NBA players at his age and years in the league could play those kind of minutes and remain so highly productive. It’s not just that he still has gas in the tank, either, That tank is apparently full and in a Maserati.
As expected, DeRozan’s scoring was elite. The only King to outscore him was LaVine and it was by one point. More important were his assist, which showed him off as a facilitator, and his impact on defense, something the Kings desperately need from all their stars.
A bright future for DeRozan
DeMar has shown no interest in retiring, and it’s not hard to see why. The man still has a lot to offer the NBA, particularly when it comes to leading by example in showing the next generation how the game is played. That makes the Kings’ inability to trade him over the summer so confusing.
Reportedly, the Kings tried to trade DeRozan to make room for Westbrook. In the end, they didn’t need to as both players ended up on the team. But it seems odd that no other team was interested in DeRozan given how good he still is. It’s possible the asking price was just too high.
If DeRozan continues to play like this for the rest of the season, the Kings are in a win-win situation. They either keep an elite forward/guard who can help grow the rookies, or his incredible play raises his trade value greatly. It just depends which way the Kings and DeRozan want to go.
