The mid-range assassin nears free agency as Sacramento prioritizes youth. While chasing scoring milestones, the veteran star looks to provide an elite bench spark for championship contenders.
As the Sacramento Kings chase youth and financial flexibility, DeMar DeRozan's future with the organization has most likely come to an end as the odd man out.
NBA Insider Jake Fischer reported that a buyout agreement between Sacramento and DeRozan is expected soon. DeRozan would forfeit a portion of his guaranteed salary to become an immediate free agent, ending his two-year tenure with the Kings.
Heading into his 17th season, DeRozan is still valuable as a durable, productive scorer. He averaged 20.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists across 154 for Sacramento.
Another season of scoring 18 points or more would land him near Shaquille O'Neal, who is the 10th all-time scorer in NBA history. The mid-range assassin is efficient and could provide a much-needed scoring boost for some teams that want his skill set.
KingsRoundtable's Nitish Singh highlighted a few teams DeRozan could join if he becomes a free agent. The Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat are four teams Singh believes could sign the soon-to-be 17-year veteran.
The Clippers could be the favorite for DeRozan. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that they are expected to show interest in him on June 23.
DeRozan would fill a scoring need for an organization that traded its superstar, Kawhi Leonard, back to the Raptors. Los Angeles' top three players are Darius Garland, Brandon Ingram and Keaton Wagler.
Adding DeRozan to the squad, particularly on the bench, could make them a formidable team in the Western Conference. Speaking of the bench, that will likely be DeRozan's role for the twilight years of his career, unless another team promises him a starting spot.
Hitting free agency off a buyout likely means his next contract will be under $10 million. Players around the league earning that money are mainly coming off the bench.
A bench role for the 16th all-time leading scorer isn't the worst outcome. It allows him to take a primary or secondary role mixed with the starters and boost bench scoring.
DeRozan would become a supercharged sixth man for a competitive team. He'd also become a mentor for the young players on the roster.
The 36-year-old enjoyed mentoring Sacramento's rookies, despite an injury-plagued season. It gave him a sense of excitement as the young players developed, providing a bright spot during a dark season.
"That excitement gives us the energy that we need," DeRozan told reporters on April 13. "Makes things fun, you know? You've got to find things like that throughout the season, especially a tough season where you can lean on and kind of build off that for yourself and for them as well."
DeRozan's time with the Kings has likely come to an end, as the two parties negotiate a mutual departure in the coming days.
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