Sacramento prioritizes youth and financial flexibility as the veteran scorer’s tenure nears a sudden end, clearing the path for a potential move to a Los Angeles contender.
DeMar DeRozan's future with the Sacramento Kings is likely up, as Mike Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the team is expected to waive and stretch the 17-year veteran's contract if trade talks fail.
Sacramento shopping DeRozan is no surprise. General manager Scott Perry wants the team to become younger and have more financial flexibility.
Parting ways with the 16th-highest all-time scorer fulfills those two goals for the Kings. DeRozan is entering the final year of his three-year, $73.71 million contract he received from the Kings in a sign-and-trade with the Chicago Bulls in the summer of 2024.
He will earn $25.74 million next season, but only $10 million of his salary is guaranteed until Jan. 27, 2027. Waiving and stretching DeRozan's contract grants the Kings an extra roster spot and cap space, but keeps DeRozan's money on the books for some time.
If waived and stretched, the 6-foot-6 guard's $10 million salary would reduce to two million on Sacramento's payroll for the next five seasons. The money is stretched twice the amount of seasons remaining on the contract, plus one.
The Los Angeles Clippers are expected to show interest in acquiring the 36-year-old's services in free agency. He is a reliable scorer who averaged 18.4 points last season across 77 games.
DeRozan has yet to miss 65 games throughout his career -- barring the shortened 2020-21 season. His reliability, despite his age, makes him a valuable addition to a team that needs additional scoring.
Los Angeles could fit him in the starting lineup, paired with Kawhi Leonard. At this stage in DeRozan's career, he's better suited off the bench. He'll match up against other bench players, who likely aren't elite perimeter defenders.
However, this scenario will only occur should the Kings not find a trade partner. There are no reported interests from teams across the league, but that could change when the NBA draft begins.
The 36-year-old being the first man out isn't surprising. It is a difficult task moving off Zach LaVine's $49 million salary, and the trade market for Domantas Sabonis may have decreased with the Julius Randle trade.
The Minnesota Timberwolves dumped Randle’s salary to the Brooklyn Nets, creating a massive trade exception and freeing up additional cap space. For Sabonis, who is making $45.47 million next season and has a $48.6 million player option in 2027-28, the Kings may find themselves salary-dumping the three-time All-Star.
DeRozan's future in Sacramento has likely come to a close, whether via a trade or waived and stretched, moving the organization one step closer to getting younger and more financially flexible.
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