On July 7, Beijing time, according to ESPN's Woj, multiple sources revealed that the veteran DeRozan signed and then traded to the Kings on a three-year contract of more than $70 million. A subsequent WOJ update reported that DeRozan's contract is $74 million for three years. Bleachers reporter Chris Haynes followed up with a fully guaranteed contract.
DeRozan entered the NBA when he was drafted by the Toronto Raptors with the 9th pick in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft. So far, DeRozan has played for the Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs, and Chicago Bulls. In the 2016-17 season, DeRozan was named to the NBA's All-NBA All-NBA Third Team; In the 2017-18 season, DeRozan was named to the NBA's All-NBA Second Team; In the 2021-22 season, DeRozan was named to the NBA All-Star team. In the regular season last season, DeRozan played in 76 games for the Bulls, averaging 27.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.
As a seasoned veteran, DeRozan's addition will bring more stability and leadership to the Kings. His scoring ability and playmaking ability will be one of the key factors for the Kings' success in the new season, and it was previously reported that the Lakers wanted to get DeRozan, and the two sides had talks but did not reach a consensus, DeRozan was not satisfied with the base salary contract offered by the Lakers.
It's worth mentioning that the Kings have been very active in the free agency market this summer. In addition to DeRozan, they also re-signed players such as Monk and Huerter. The addition of these players will make the Kings' roster more complete and further enhanced.
In the new season, the Kings will make an impact on the playoffs under head coach Mike Brown. It will be interesting to see if they can stand out in the competitive Western Conference!