Washington Wizards "Had Some Conversations" With DeMar Derozan

Could the Washington Wizards add another veteran to the roster?

Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Tuesday afternoon that the Wizards has "had some conversations" with veteran wingman DeMar DeRozan.

DeRozan, 36, is preparing for his 18th NBA season and entered free agency after being waived by the Sacramento Kings back in early July.

It ended his two seasons with the Kings where he appeared in 154 total games, averaging 20.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 33.6 minutes per game.

Yet while the 2012-13 season marked the last time he appeared in all 82 regular season games, it also marked the last season that DeRozan averaged under 20 points per game -- until 2025-26. DeRozan ranked second on the team in scoring with 18.4 points per game, while his 4.1 assists tied Domantas Sabonis for third in Sacramento.

DeRozan, the ninth overall pick in the 2009 draft, made a name for himself after spending the first nine seasons of his NBA career with the Toronto Raptors. Despite he and Kyle Lowry establishing themselves as a duo, DeRozan's time in Toronto ended after he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Kawhi Leonard, leading the Raptors to win the NBA Finals the subsequent season.

The veteran stepped up during his three seasons with the Spurs, averaging 21.6 points while shooting over 50% from the field during that span, before heading to the Chicago Bulls. Two of his first three seasons materialized in DeRozan becoming an All Star selection, including an All-NBA selection after averaging a career-high 27.9 points in 2022-23.

Over his 17 year career, DeRozan has averaged 21.1 points per game while shooting 47.1% from the floor and 30.2% from three.

The possibility looms as the Wizards have one final roster spot to fill ahead of the 2026-27 regular season, though it also marks a shift from previous expectations after being linked to veteran point guards with the initial focus pointing to the chance to stabilize the point guard rotation as the final piece. Whether conversations with DeRozan progress remains the question, what his role would be especially after the acquisition of veteran Khris Middleton this offseason is another question mark for general manager Will Dawkins to answer.

Washington returns ample candidates who are younger at the wing, adding another layer of intrigue as to what could ultimately materialize for the 15th and final roster spot. The Wizards have just shy of $11 million in luxury cap space along with the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception available. The Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets and Cleveland Cavaliers have also been linked to DeRozan, adding a question whether the veteran views Washington as the ideal fit.