As their expected final piece to help turn the Kings into a contender this past season, Sacramento brought in the 6x All-Star DeMar DeRozan. However, the irony couldn’t be more apparent as he put up even lesser numbers than his last three seasons. So as soon as January hit, people expected the Kings to trade away the 35-year-old with the return of GM Scott Perry who was “aggressively” looking to trade up in the NBA Draft. With the Kings having no first-round pick and the Miami Heat with 20th overall pick, the two hit the spot.

Then, Miami’s president Pat Riley stating, “I think we do have to make changes. There’s no doubt there has to be some change,” also added fuel to the fire. Certainly, the Heat has been in need of a shooter like the 22 ppg averaging guard. But then came all the clarifications, and the lack thereof:

• Allen Stiles’ report: Sactown Sports 1140’s Stiles stated mid-June, “No DeMar DeRozan conversation has happened with the Heat… yet. But convos have happened with the Heat.”
• Jake Fischer’s insider blooper: A couple of days ago, Bleacher Report’s Doric Sam reported Fischer’s news suggesting, “the heat have ‘been linked to’ Sacramento Kings veteran shooting guard DeMar DeRozan and also have been ‘mentioned as a potential destination for Utah Jazz veteran forward John Collins.’”
• Barry Jackson shoots down: Miami Herald’s reporter clarified on Tuesday that the Heat have “not been pursuing [a] trade for DeRozan to this point.”

Now, with everyone talking about whether DeRozan will stay in California and with the Kings or move to a new destination, clutter has already been all over the place. But listening to everyone else, the No. 10 has himself shed some light on the matter. And it’s not exactly what you would expect.

Taking it to his X account, DeRozan tweeted, “Everybody an expert on this App…” It was a clear and direct shot at the rumor mill. And for a player who has been through the wringer of NBA trades before, his frustration is more than understandable. Just ask the Chicago Bulls.

Their questionable return in the DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade was already a letdown on paper. But now, just a year after the deal, it looks even worse than anyone thought. Chris Duarte, who was the main player the Bulls got, is now officially out of the NBA. So, one of the best scorers in that team’s history was basically traded for a couple of second-round draft picks and a short-lived player who never made a difference.

That terrible result for the Bulls is a warning sign, but it hasn’t stopped other teams from dreaming up their own big trade ideas to get the veteran star. It just shows how valuable he still is in a league he’s not even sure he recognizes anymore. But his will to play? That is visible in how he carries himself.

“Never had a drink in my life”: DeRozan’s old-school mentality fuels his trade value

The Miami Heat isn’t the only team being talked about with DeRozan. Multiple outlets, including Sports Illustrated, floated a blockbuster three-team deal involving DeRozan landing in Phoenix, Bradley Beal heading to Sacramento, and Malik Monk shifting West.

This suggested trade would help each team in different ways. Phoenix, stuck with limited financial flexibility and the burden of Beal’s massive contract, would offload him while gaining two win-now contributors in DeRozan and Monk—both capable scorers with playoff experience. Sacramento, in turn, would accept Beal’s contract and net an unprotected 2032 first-round pick from Phoenix, showing they’re looking to rebuild for the long term.

Meanwhile, the Hawks would get a player they need in Royce O’Neale, who’s a good shooter from outside and knows coach Quin Snyder’s system. It’s just all speculation right now, but this kind of move shows how teams are changing what they care about, trying to fix things quickly. And DeRozan could end up being a key player for another team’s playoff run. These “what if” situations just show how valuable he still is around the league. And the secret to that value, as he recently explained in an interview with Dwyane Wade, is an old-school mentality.

At 35 years old and getting ready for his 17th season, DeRozan is still playing like an All-Star. He says this is because of one simple thing: sacrifice. “It’s a year-round thing,” the six-time All-Star explained. “For me, that goes back to making sacrifices. I don’t go out. I don’t drink. I never had a drink in my life … I just always kind of looked at it from the standpoint of like, my whole goal of hooping was I wanna be able to play for as long as I can.”

It’s a lesson he learned early in his career. “When I came into the league, I used to make fun of all the old heads, like, ‘Man, why you putting ice on?’” he remembered. “It’s like, ‘Well, I’m telling you, you better start putting ice on before you start to need it.’ I’m like, ‘All right, f— it! I’m putting ice on, nothing hurting.'” It’s that kind of professional, proactive way of taking care of his body that has helped him avoid big injuries throughout his long and successful career.

But his old-school way of thinking isn’t just about his body, it’s about his mindset. He admitted to Wade that the modern NBA, with its changing priorities, has been tough on him mentally. “I think the mental that becomes a challenge for me is when you look around, you see … so many people take the game for granted,” DeRozan explained. “When before, it was always hoop. Everything was hoop. You had to earn everything you did when it came out there on the court.”

This is the kind of player that teams are still trying to trade for. He’s a throwback, a guy who respects the game and puts in the hard work. His blunt tweet at the “experts” makes perfect sense when you understand why he’s frustrated with today’s quick-opinion culture. And his lasting trade value isn’t just about his amazing mid-range game, it’s about how professional he is, how dedicated he is, and a love for the game that you just can’t fake.