A career-long starter's refusal to transition to the second unit led to a sudden split in Sacramento, forcing the veteran scorer to seek a starting role elsewhere.
DeMar DeRozan has started 99% of his 1,264 career games, and even as he nears 37, he still wants to start.
The last time DeRozan didn't start a game was in the 2008-09 season -- his rookie year. He came off the bench for seven games.
When the Sacramento Kings approached the 17-year veteran this offseason, they wanted to change his role. NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the idea of coming off the bench was a sensitive topic.
An unwillingness to shift positions and a looming January deadline that would fully guarantee the rest of his $25.7 million salary led the organization to part with DeRozan.
Being a perennial starter has become part of his identity. At all stops, he's consistently averaged over 20 points and has been healthy. But the former King is at the twilight of his career; coming off the bench is almost a necessity, especially for contending teams.
Look at his former teammate, Russell Westbrook. Westbrook started for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards before assuming a bench role for the Los Angeles Lakers, and that has been his role for the past several seasons.
After Sacramento waived DeRozan, ESPN's Shams Charania reported the teams interested in signing the free-agent guard were the Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Miami is the only realistic team that can offer him a starting position. Andrew Wiggins is the starting small forward, but they lack a playmaking guard after missing out on a reunion with LeBron James.
DeRozan is known for his scoring, but quietly developed his playmaking skills under the guidance of coach Gregg Popovich in three seasons with the San Antonio Spurs. He averaged 6.2 assists with the Spurs, finishing 11th in the category in the 2020-21 season.
Denver and Cleveland are waiting for their biggest dominoes to fall, which muddies the 6-foot-6 guard's options as free agency lingers.
The Nuggets are pondering retaining restricted free-agent forward Peyton Watson or executing a sign-and-trade. They are already a second-apron team after matching the Thunder's offer sheet on Spencer Jones, and keeping Watson drives them further down the apron.
The Cavaliers are in the running for free-agent forward Jonathan Kuminga, but do not have the cap space to sign him to his requested salary ($20 million). They also signed EuroLeague star Mario Hezonja on the veteran's minimum contract, filling another position DeRozan plays.
DeRozan is likely in limbo waiting for other teams to make moves and capitalize on an opening. It's been nearly a month since Sacramento waived him.
He is still a valuable player in the league, but teams don't see him as a starter anymore, even the Kings didn't. DeRozan has to accept he'll need to change roles heading into his 18th season.
