After spending the last two seasons in Sacramento, veteran forward DeMar DeRozan's time with the Kings is almost over.

Amid rumors, DeRozan could become one of the most intriguing veteran names available if Sacramento decides to waive him. Even at 36 years old, the six-time All-Star remains one of the league’s most dependable scorers.

He’s coming off another efficient season where he averaged 18.4 points per game. If DeRozan heads to the open market, several contenders and playoff hopeful teams would immediately be top landing spots.

A reunion with the Toronto Raptors seems to make a lot of sense. DeRozan spent his prime NBA years helping transform Toronto into a playoff team before being traded in the blockbuster Kawhi Leonard.

However, now, the timing feels different.

Toronto is once again trying to compete at a high level after bringing Leonard back, and adding DeRozan would give the roster another experienced scorer.  More importantly, his stats make him a good fit.

The Raptors need another reliable half-court creator, especially late in games when the offense slows down. DeRozan remains elite in the mid-range and continues to thrive as a shot-maker under pressure. Pairing him with Kawhi Leonard, Scottie Barnes, and RJ Barrett would give Toronto multiple offensive options without forcing DeRozan to carry the scoring burden nightly.

The Los Angeles Lakers have been linked to DeRozan multiple times over the years, and this summer could finally be the perfect opportunity.

With Luka Doncic now leading the franchise and LeBron James nearing the end of his career, the Lakers still need dependable scoring depth around their stars. DeRozan solves part of that immediately.

Even without elite three-point shooting, DeRozan has a valuable part to play while generating offensive plays. The Lakers struggled at times to create consistent half-court offense outside of Doncic, especially when defenses loaded up on the ball. 

DeRozan’s isolation scoring and mid-range game would add another dimension to the offense. There is also the hometown factor. DeRozan has openly discussed wanting to remain close to family in Southern California, making the Lakers an obvious fit from a personal standpoint.

The Miami Heat always seem to find value in experienced veterans, and DeRozan feels like the exact type of player Erik Spoelstra could maximize.

Miami’s offense lacked consistency last season despite having Bam Adebayo. And now that the Heat have Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the roster, adding DeRozan would immediately help solve some of those issues.

Few players in the NBA still attack the mid-range and free-throw line as effectively as DeRozan. The Heat also lost offensive production on the wing, making DeRozan’s scoring even more valuable. He would not need to be the primary star in Miami either, which could help preserve his efficiency over a full season.

The Los Angeles Clippers could quietly emerge as one of the strongest fits if they continue reshaping the roster following major offseason changes.

After moving on from Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers suddenly need another dependable offensive veteran to stabilize the lineup around Darius Garland and Brandon Ingram. DeRozan would immediately help fill that gap.

While he is no longer expected to carry an offense by himself, DeRozan remains one of the league’s best isolation scorers and late-game shot creators. The Clippers struggled offensively last season, particularly in half-court situations, making his skill set extremely attractive.

It remains to be seen how things go if and when the Kings waive DeRozan.

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