DeMar DeRozan wasn’t just heartbroken after the Sacramento Kings’ season-ending 120–106 loss to the Dallas Mavericks — he was reflective, frustrated, and brutally honest. The 34-year-old veteran put up 33 points, fought until the final whistle, and still walked off the court knowing his 17th NBA season would begin with more questions than answers. And while he didn’t point fingers by name, his comments after the loss left no doubt: DeMar isn’t just disappointed — he’s done covering for everyone else.

In the postgame presser, DeRozan’s voice wavered as he tried to wrap his head around another season ending in mid-April. “Watching other teams still play… that sucks,” he admitted. “I’m going into my 17th season… you don’t have many opportunities left.” It wasn’t about the loss itself — it was about the lost chance.

DeRozan, who has made the playoffs in each of the past few seasons, wasn’t shy about where his expectations lie. “Not necessarily playing the Play-In,” he said. “Being in the playoffs is the goal. That’s all you kind of want at this stage of your career.”

In a season that saw the Kings trade De’Aaron Fox, fire head coach Mike Brown, and shuffle veterans in and out of the lineup, DeRozan’s words cut deeper. His mission is clear — he wants to win, and not in the pretend sense of maybe we can squeeze into the eighth seed. He’s looking at time differently now, and that clock is ticking louder than ever.

Throwing the locker room under the bus… gently

While DeRozan didn’t directly name names, he didn’t exactly bite his tongue either. When asked about the team’s inability to play with pace, he pivoted to a moment that said more than he maybe intended: “If we don’t have that second quarter that we had… we give ourselves a fighting chance. But giving up 44 points in a quarter? That’s tough.”

He doubled down on the defensive collapse: “The run they went on, the turnovers we had… we kind of dug ourselves a hole, and it was tough to get out of that.” And with that, DeRozan subtly laid the blame at the feet of his teammates.

Yes, the Kings had a rough shooting night. Yes, Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson torched them. But in DeRozan’s eyes, it wasn’t talent — it was effort, focus, and discipline that failed them. That second quarter wasn’t just a bad stretch; it was the unraveling of a team that never really gelled after all its midseason changes.

With the loss, the Kings missed the playoffs for the 18th time in the last 19 seasons. They finished 40–42, traded their franchise point guard, and parted ways with General Manager Monte McNair. For a moment, it felt like they were turning the corner — but in the end, the organization looked as directionless as ever.

The Kings’ only real bright spot? DeRozan and Zach LaVine, who combined for 42 points. But even that wasn’t enough to mask the deeper issues. Doug Christie’s interim coaching stint failed to energize the team defensively, and the locker room cohesion never fully recovered post-trade.

The heartbreak in DeRozan’s voice wasn’t just about a lost season — it was about how few seasons are left. “Just being able to get in there and see what happens,” he said wistfully about the playoffs. And that’s the whole point: DeRozan didn’t come to Sacramento to rebuild again. He came to win.

Whether he stays another season or seeks out a contender in free agency, DeMar’s message to the Kings was clear: Figure it out — fast. Because for players like him, the window isn’t just closing. It’s barely cracked open.

DeMar DeRozan poured everything he had into this season, and while his 33-point effort was heroic, it was never going to be enough to save a broken team. His postgame honesty spoke volumes: this isn’t about blaming one person — it’s about demanding more. From everyone. If the Kings want to avoid another decade of disappointment, they better start by listening to the veteran still fighting like it’s his first shot — even if it may be one of his last.