USC Basketball: Was DeMar DeRozan's Sacramento Move Enough for Him to Win First NBA Title?

Can DeMar DeRozan win his first NBA title with the Kings?

Former USC Trojans star DeMar DeRozan found a new home this offseason, agreeing to a sign-and-trade to join the Sacramento Kings. This comes after he decided to leave the Chicago Bulls in the hope of winning a championship.

DeRozan now heads back to the state of California to attempt to win. But was the move enough for the Kings to become true title contenders?

Some say yes, while others don't believe that the addition of DeRozan moves the needle enough for Sacramento. John Hollinger of The Athletic remains skeptical of the move but agrees that it does give the team a fighting chance.

"More realistically, this feels less like a chips-in move — even with the unprotected pick swap — and more like the Kings methodically advancing the ball a bit from the 45-win team of a year ago. They don’t need to win 60 games or make the NBA Finals to justify this trade, not when they haven’t won a playoff round since 2004. They might not this year either, but they’re at least in the fight."

Sacramento missed the playoffs this past season so the addition of DeRozan should help them get back into the conversation. They still have two other stars in Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox, giving them a lethal three-headed monster.

The biggest issue for the Kings is the fact that they play in the loaded Western Conference. They could win 50 games next season and still be vying for a play-in spot.

If they want to maximize the addition of DeRozan, they will have to hope that the defense on the team improves. Without the ability to shut down opponents and get stops, the Kings will fall into the same trap that they have in recent years,

DeRozan makes the Kings more credible but they may still be a little away from true contention. However, if they can get themselves into the postseason, then anything is possible.

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