The NBA free-agent market is currently in a deadlock as LeBron James mulls his big decision. With so many options on the table, James has a lot of control over how this ends, and he’s determined not to rush the process. Where that leaves NBA veteran DeMar DeRozan is unclear, but his fate may be directly intertwined with where No. 23 ends up playing this season.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, DeRozan could end up as a last resort for teams who don’t land LeBron. That means teams like the Warriors, Cavs, or Heat could show interest, but his top choice is actually his former team, the Toronto Raptors.
“The Kings are holding out the option to waive or stretch DeMar potentially by the end of August,” reported Jake Fischer. “That really just impacts Sacramento’s books. Regardless, DeMar is waived, and he’s almost certainly going to be on a vet minimum somewhere else. Could it be Toronto? He certainly has interest there, but I think DeMar’s most likely landing spots are going to be teams that don’t get LeBron James.”
As it turns out, DeRozan isn’t the only one of his kind this summer. Many other veteran players and ex-All-Stars find themselves in limbo, waiting for LeBron to make his move before they can settle their own affairs.
“I think Miami, Cleveland, Golden State, I think those teams are all going to be in the play for him if they don’t get LeBron,” added Fischer. “You can add him to the docket of the Khris Middletons, the Bradley Beals, whoever, these vet minimum guys that are kind of waiting to see what happens with LeBron first.”
At 36 years old, DeMar DeRozan is well past his prime, but he was effective last season, averaging 18.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 49.7% shooting and 32.0% shooting from three. While his services were no longer needed on a younger Kings team, he could make an ideal fit in a win-now situation.
Besides veteran experience and leadership, DeRozan brings versatile scoring that can come in isolation or off the dribble. At 6’6″ and 220 pounds, he would likely come off the bench for Toronto, behind Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes. Even so, after losing Brandon Ingram, the Raptors could use more depth at the forward position, and DeRozan would not be a bad pick.
He played for the franchise from 2009 to 2018, establishing himself as a bona fide All-Star with averages of 19.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 44.8% shooting from the field. Alongside Kyle Lowry, he led the Raptors to prominence in the East, only to be shut down by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, who repeatedly eliminated them from postseason action.
The summer after DeRozan was traded from the Raptors (in the deal that got them Kawhi Leonard), they went on to win their first-ever NBA championship, and they haven’t looked back since. As a free agent, it makes sense that DeMar wants to go back there and finish what he started. With Leonard back as well, there’s even the possibility of a potential title run.
Unfortunately for him, however, it’s unknown if the Raptors even want him back after so long without him. His inside-out skillset makes him a questionable fit with the roster, but the storybook ending may be too good for anyone to pass up.
