DeMar DeRozan is suddenly one of the biggest names on the market, and the race to land him is already taking shape. After the Sacramento Kings waived the six-time All-Star, he became free to choose his next stop, and multiple contenders are now circling.
ESPN reported that the Kings’ move made DeRozan “one of the top free agents on the market.” The outlet also noted that he had a partial guarantee on his deal for next season, but Sacramento and DeRozan worked together on the release so he could pursue a new team. According to ESPN, “Multiple contenders are expected to have interest in the veteran guard,” and that has played out quickly.
Miami has long been viewed as a natural fit. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line pointed to the Heat as the team most closely tied to DeRozan for years, saying, “Miami Heat have been a Derozan landing spot for years now, there's been so much connectivity between him and the Heat and I do think the Heat seem to be the most likely scenario for DeMar DeRozan right now…Miami is probably his best bet…those other spots really don't have spending power," Fischer said.
But the Heat are not alone in the mix. ESPN’s Shams Charania said, “I’m told Miami, Denver, and Cleveland are among the teams interested in DeMar DeRozan… There is a player out west that is overlapping with DeRozan as far as interest from teams,”
Denver would give DeRozan a chance to join Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray in a push for another title. Cleveland could see him as the veteran wing it has been looking for. Miami, meanwhile, would be adding another proven scorer to its current core.
DeRozan has already banked $305 million in NBA contracts over his career, and now he’s weighing where the next chapter should begin. For a player with his résumé, the appeal is clear: a real shot to compete. The question now is which contender makes the strongest move.
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