Surprising Stats Show Importance of DeRozan for All Teammates

Looking at his on/off net rating, the Kings faired better with him on the court, which comes as no surprise. Sacramento had a net rating of +1.5 in DeRozan's 2,768 minutes on the court, and a -1.3 net rating in his 1,208 minutes off, good for a difference of +2.8.

While that wasn't the highest on the team (Domantas Sabonis +5.4), what stands out is how many of DeRozan's teammates performed better with him on the court compared to off.

Looking at key rotational players that were on the team last year, and are on the roster heading into this season, almost everyone had a positive net rating when sharing the court with DeRozan according to PBPStats.

• DeMar DeRozan, Devin Carter: +10.21

• DeMar DeRozan, Keon Ellis: +6.42

• DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk: +4.39

• DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis: +3.66

• DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray: +2.22

• DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine: -3.99

These numbers don't tell the full story, as they are just two of the five players in the lineups, but it is telling that everyone outside of LaVine found success sharing the court with DeRozan. And LaVine and DeRozan had limited time together while the team faced injuries at the end of the season.

Looking at the other side of the coin, the same six players all had negative net ratings when they were on the court without DeRozan:

• Devin Carter: -1.77

• Keegan Murray: -2.17

• Domantas Sabonis: -2.66

• Malik Monk: -3.25

• Zach LaVine: -3.49

• Keon Ellis: -3.55

The biggest jump that immediately stands out is for Keon Ellis, who's net rating swings by nearly 10 with and without DeRozan. That makes sense, as DeRozan is a leading scorer, and Ellis is a leading defender and shooter, making a near perfect match as a duo.

The hard part going into the season is knowing that the Kings could be without DeRozan come the trade deadline. It's been reported that the Kings could look to move the six-time All-Star in February when his value and fit with other teams is higher, but that would leave the Kings with a massive hole in their roster, as shown by the numbers above.

If they are building for the future, that's not really an issue (and could even be a good thing), but if they are hoping to make some noise in this year's postseason, they'll have to get creative with their lineups and figure out a way to find success on the court without one of the best scorers in NBA history.

Footnote: De'Aaron Fox had a net rating of +2.61 with DeRozan off the court, showing that a true go-to scorer may be the best way to win non-DeRozan minutes.