DeMar DeRozan

Kings embrace ‘next-man-up' mantra in first win after Fox trade

NBC Universal, Inc.

For the first time in nearly eight years, the Kings took the court without point guard De'Aaron Fox on Sacramento's roster.

Sure, they've played games without the star point guard over that span, but this was different. Monday night's matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves officially kicked off a new era of Kings basketball, and one thing was abundantly clear in Sacramento's 116-114 win at Target Center.

No one player can fill Fox's shoes, but collectively this Kings roster has the pieces to fill the void left behind by the 27-year-old star.

All five of Sacramento's starters finished in double figures, as the Kings found their rhythm behind the 3-point line, shooting 41.7-percent beyond the arc in a crucial win.

DeMar DeRozan, who finished with a game-high 33 points, proudly reflected on the turmoil the Kings have endured and overcome over the last few weeks.

"It's been crazy. There's been a lot going on, not just the last 24 hours, kind of like the last month and half, however long it's been," DeRozan said on "Kings Postgame Live." "But we prevailed. We came together as a team. We knew it was going to be tough and we stuck it out."

"We got a job to do and we got to keep pushing forward." DeMar DeRozan reflects on the Kings' big win over the Wolves on the heels of yesterday's De'Aaron Fox trade

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— Kings on NBC Sports California (@nbcskings.bsky.social) February 3, 2025 at 7:47 PM

The sting of losing a teammate always is tough, particularly for the younger players who haven't experienced the sudden trade deadline changes a seasoned NBA veteran like DeRozan has.

"Especially for the young guys, first time experiencing something like that. We all wish Foxy the best, it sucks to see a brother leave," DeRozan said. "But we got a job to do and we got to keep pushing forward, next man up."

Malik Monk chipped in 26 points of his own, playing a game-high 42 minutes while taking over a large chunk of the ball-handling duties that previously belonged to Fox.

Keegan Murray found his shooting stroke, knocking down 7 of 11 field-goal attempts in Monday's win.

Domantas Sabonis finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds, returning to his normal ways after snapping his 24-game double-double streak in Saturday's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He also eclipsed the 10,000-career point mark, a significant milestone for the All-NBA big man.

Keon Ellis contributed 13 points of his own, while playing a key role on the defensive end to help Sacramento secure victory on the road over a tough Western Conference opponent.

The sting of losing Fox likely won't go away any time soon. However, one of the few remedies that could provide instant relief is winning basketball games, and Monday night this Kings team delivered a much-needed boost to a fan base adapting to a new normal without a familiar face.

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