DeMar DeRozan has high expectations for his new team.

The Sacramento Kings playmaker was interviewed during his appearance on ESPN’s First attempt and said his Sacramento Kings will reach the Western Conference finals:

While DeRozan could have predicted that his team, which acquired him from the Chicago Bulls in a sign-and-trade deal during the offseason, would reach the NBA finals, even reaching the Western Conference Finals would be a significant step forward.

After all, the Kings haven’t won a playoff series since the 2003-04 season, when they advanced to the second round. The last time they made it to the Western Conference Finals was 2002, and they haven’t won a championship since their days as the Rochester Royals in the 1950-51 season.

Sacramento is coming off two consecutive successful seasons and enters the 2024-25 season with high expectations after signing DeRozan.

He’s a go-to guy for the team in the most critical moments, and he’s someone who has averaged over 20 points per game over the past 11 seasons. Add to that De’Aaron Fox, who plays on the perimeter, and Domantas Sabonis, who is proving to be a matchup problem for opposing frontcourts, and the Kings should cause problems for teams in the Western Conference.

However, the Western Conference is quite strong, which could pose a problem for their chances of getting as far as DeRozan expects.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks are all realistic title contenders, while the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors are star-studded playoff contenders.

Considering that teams like the Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans have the potential to improve, the Kings’ room to maneuver is limited.

Still, DeRozan believes his team will spring a surprise this season.