Kings Rumors

After being embarrassed at home by Dallas in the play-in tournament on Wednesday, the Kings may have to worry about holding on to two of their best players, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis both discussed the direction the franchise plans to take in the wake of a disappointing season that ended with a 40-42 record and the ninth seed in the West.

DeRozan, who was in his first season with Sacramento after being traded there last July, was clearly upset about the loss, Anderson adds. He cited “just the structure and a foundation of a compete level” when asked what he’ll be considering when he ponders his future this summer.

“I think all year we had such an uncertainty of everything,” he added. “You can’t really operate in any successful environment if you have so much uncertainty, so I think for me, just the uncertainty of what it’s going to be going forward.”

That uncertainty manifested itself when general manager Monte McNair officially parted ways with the organization Wednesday night just minutes after the final buzzer. Former Kings executive Scott Perry is reportedly close to finalizing a deal to replace McNair.

Sacramento also fired head coach Mike Brown in December, replacing him with Doug Christie on an interim basis. Christie is in a good position to keep his job, sources tell Anderson, but Perry will have input on that decision.

Another layer was added to the “uncertainty” that DeRozan referenced when franchise cornerstone De’Aaron Fox was traded to San Antonio in February. Fox turned down a three-year, maximum-salary extension offer last summer and later expressed reluctance to make a long-term commitment to the Kings unless he was sure the team could “compete at a high level.”

Similar concerns were expressed by Sabonis, who indicated that he wants to meet with the new management team before making a decision about his future.

“First of all, I want to say I love it here,” Sabonis said. “I want to stay here. I want to win here. I also do want to know what’s going to happen. All these things are happening so quick. I want to get together with the new people, whoever comes in, and really try to get this right and get it back to where it was before.”

Anderson points out that DeRozan and Sabonis are both on long-term deals, but they could ask for trades if they don’t believe the Kings can become contenders. DeRozan has two years and a little more than $50MM left on the contract he signed when he was traded, and Sabonis has three seasons remaining on his four-year, $186MM deal.

DeRozan will turn 36 this summer and feels an urgency to be with a winning organization as he nears the end of his career.

“It’s difficult. It’s frustrating. It’s emotional. It’s everything,” he said after Wednesday’s loss. “I can only speak for myself. I put so much time, effort, preparation, sacrifice into the game of basketball. As much as I care for it, as much as I live it, it’s hurtful when you just don’t give yourself an opportunity to play for what matters, to make it to the playoffs and give yourselves a chance. It’s a scary thing when you realize this is a summer for me to get ready for my 17th season. Some of my favorite players I grew up watching, you don’t even get close to that number. Going into that, the window closing, it ain’t like this job is like being a teacher or being a reporter where y’all can do this as long as you can.”