DeMar DeRozan chose the Kings in NBA free agency for one simple reason: NBC Sports Bay Area & California

DeMar DeRozan’s criteria for becoming a free agent last summer were apparently pretty simple.

In fact, upon arriving in Sacramento, the six-time NBA All-Star forward only gave one word when asked why he chose the Kings.

“Win.”

That was DeRozan’s immediate response to Kings vice president of player development Paul Johnson’s question in the first episode of the third season of “The Run,” posted on the team’s YouTube channel.

That says something about Sacramento considering how many options DeRozan had during his time as an NBA free agent.

In the end, the Kings — who ended a nearly two-decade playoff drought in 2023 — won thanks to DeRozan’s services. The 15-year NBA veteran moved to Sacramento from the Chicago Bulls via a sign-and-trade deal in July, receiving a three-year, $76 million contract.

“The Run” also showed DeRozan training with new Kings teammate Domantas Sabonis at USC shortly after he signed.

“Sabonis, he wanted to come to LA to train with me,” DeRozan said. “We spent a whole week together.

“Just the dialogue, the work we put in – you would think we had played together for two years after just one week of training.”

So it appears a partnership with Sabonis also helped lure DeRozan to Sacramento.

However, as DeRozan revealed last month, he had to wait for Paul George to decide his own playing fate before making a decision. George, of course, went to the Philadelphia 76ers. That paved the way for DeRozan to favor the Kings over other contenders, including the 76ers, Miami Heat and both Los Angeles teams.

With the 2024-25 NBA season about to begin, DeRozan’s dream of lighting up the beam is about to come true.

Download and follow the Deuce & Mo Podcast