My Process Started Simple
First off, I just started listening. You know, tuning into some sports talk, catching snippets of podcasts here and there. The usual suspects popped up immediately – Lakers, Clippers, Heat, big names, big markets. Makes sense, right? Star player, teams wanting stars.
Then there were the Sixers. Heard a lot about them because they actually had the wallet open, serious cap space. That always makes a team a player in free agency, no doubt. So, Philly was definitely on my radar early on.
- Listened to chatter about big market appeal.
- Noted the teams with actual money to spend, like Philly.
- Tried to filter out the pure hype from the real possibilities.
Digging a Bit Deeper
But just listing teams felt kinda shallow. I started thinking about DeRozan himself. What's he about at this point in his career? He's been around, made his money. Seemed like winning, having a real role, mattered more. I remembered hearing him talk about wanting an opportunity, a place to compete hard.
So I looked at the teams again through that lens. Lakers? Clippers? Crowded. Heat? Always tough. Philly? Interesting, but how would he fit exactly?
Then the Kings stuff started bubbling up. At first, I kinda dismissed it, you know? Sacramento? Felt a bit out of nowhere compared to the others. But then I stopped and thought, wait a minute. They needed a guy like him. Someone who could get buckets, especially in the mid-range, take pressure off their younger guys. They were trying to build something.
This is where it got interesting for me. Could Sacramento actually be the spot? It wasn't the flashiest, but maybe it was the right fit for what he seemed to want – a key role on a team trying to climb.
Putting My Own Prediction Together
So, I started leaning away from the obvious choices. The big markets felt like long shots for the role he'd want. Philly was a possibility because of the money, but the Kings situation just felt... sneaky good. Like it made practical sense for both sides.
I figured it wouldn't be a straight signing maybe, considering team caps and all that stuff. Those sign-and-trade deals are complicated but happen all the time. My gut feeling started pointing towards Sacramento pulling something off, maybe involving multiple teams to make the money work.
My prediction, just scribbled down for myself really, was that DeRozan would surprise people and end up with the Kings, likely via a sign-and-trade, because it offered him a chance to be a major piece on a team serious about winning games, even if it wasn't the biggest spotlight.
It wasn't about complex stats, just thinking about the player, the teams' needs, and what seemed like a realistic desire for DeRozan at this stage. Sometimes you just gotta go with the fit that makes practical sense on the court, not just the one that makes headlines.
