Report: DeMar DeRozan Chose Kings Over Heat, Lakers Only Expressed Simple Interest

According to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, DeMar DeRozan chose the Sacramento Kings over the Miami Heat. 

Charania also reported that the Los Angeles Lakers never went beyond expressing simple interest in DeRozan. 

“It was really down to the Kings and Heat as far as DeMar DeRozan’s new home … I’m told the Lakers never went beyond expressing simple interest in DeRozan.”

NBA Insider @ShamsCharania gives us the latest on DeMar DeRozan. pic.twitter.com/F7OUBNMx0Y

— The Rally (@TheRally) July 8, 2024

DeRozan appeared in 79 games for the Chicago Bulls in 2023-24. The USC product averaged 24.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.6 blocks while shooting 48.0% from the floor, 33.3% from beyond the arc and 85.3% from the free-throw line.  

A future Hall of Famer, DeRozan has career averages of 21.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.3 blocks with the Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs and Bulls. He’s made three All-NBA teams and six All-Star teams. 

The Kings now have a “Big 3” of DeRozan, De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Fox played a major role in DeRozan coming to Sacramento, per NBA insider Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report. 

The Lakers lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2024 playoffs in five games, the Heat lost to the Boston Celtics in the first round in five games and the Kings missed the postseason after losing the 8-9 play-in game to the New Orleans Pelicans. 

During an interview with NBA reporter Dave McMenamin of ESPN, LeBron James spoke about the Lakers missing out on Klay Thompson and DeRozan.

Thompson joined the Dallas Mavericks despite Los Angeles heavily pursuing him. 

“It takes two to tango,” LeBron told ESPN. “I think our front office, our coaching staff, they tried to do the job that they wanted to do or tried to get guys to come and it didn’t happen. And that’s OK. That’s part of the business. I’ve been in this business long enough to know that sometimes it happens, sometimes it don’t.

“So we don’t sit here and lie about or cry about it. We move on and Klay’s a great player. Obviously DeMar’s a great player. Valanciunas was one of those guys who ended up going to Washington, was someone that was in talks with us, but we move on to see how we continue to get better.”