DeMar DeRozan is a six-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA player whose presence in a lackluster free agency class this summer has almost been somewhat of an afterthought.
The Sacramento Kings are a recent Pacific Division champion who came within a play-in game of a second straight playoff berth last season yet is never mentioned among the best teams in the West.
DeRozan joined the Kings on a sign-and-trade from the Chicago Bulls, ESPN reported Saturday, and if he isn’t a perfect fit on the court for Sacramento, he couldn’t be a better fit for the personality of a team that remains severely underrated.
Sacramento’s +6600 title odds are tied for just 17th-best at BetMGM, and they didn’t budge after the team acquired DeRozan.
.@SacramentoKings odds to win NBA Championship at #BetMGM
+6600: Before signing DeMar DeRozan
+6600: After pic.twitter.com/5Em1aj1x5x
— John Ewing (@johnewing) July 7, 2024
Let’s be real. The Kings aren’t winning a title any time soon, so it’s not like anyone should be betting these odds with any expectation of them actually lighting the beam in the NBA Finals. But relative to some other teams, these odds are downright disrespectful.
The Golden State Warriors, who Sacramento beat in the 9-versus-10 play-in game have shorter odds at +4000, even after losing Klay Thompson and Chris Paul. The Los Angeles Lakers, who had just one more win than the 46-36 Kings, are +3000 to win the title. Even the Los Angeles Clippers are still +5000 after losing Paul George.
All Sacramento did was flip veteran role player Harrison Barnes into DeMar freaking DeRozan, a 24-point scorer the last two years who helped Chicago win much more than what was necessary for the franchise’s own good. He’s going to be playing with fellow All-Stars De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. And oddsmakers didn’t blink.
Only four teams in the West have longer odds than Sacramento — Portland, Utah, San Antonio and Houston — and that’s a mistake. DeRozan might not be exactly what the team needed to win a title, but there aren’t 11 teams in the conference better than the Kings.
