NBA free agency is in full force, and there’s a notable multi-time All-Star, high-scoring forward on the market. No, we’re not talking about LeBron James, though he fits that description. We’re talking about DeMar DeRozan, who is now a free agent after agreeing to a split with the Sacramento Kings on Monday, making DeRozan one of the most coveted free agents out there.
DeRozan was set to enter the last season of a three-year contract with the Kings and was due a salary worth $25.74 million. But the final year was only partially guaranteed for $10 million. The Kings elected to move on from the soon-to-be 37-year-old, and DeRozan becomes arguably the biggest unrestricted free agent available outside of James.
The Kings posted a message on social media acknowledging the transaction and thanking DeRozan for his two years of service in Sacramento. “Thank you for every bucket, every big moment, and every time you represented Sacramento. Wishing you all the best in your next chapter Deebo,” the posting read.
DeRozan joined Sacramento in the summer of 2024 with the team coming off back-to-back winning seasons for the franchise’s first time since the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons. He was seen as the missing piece to help a young Kings team featuring De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis to get over the hump and win its first postseason series since the 2003-04 season.
However, Sacramento has regressed. It went 40–42 in DeRozan’s first year in California’s capital, before going 22–60 last year. The .268 win-loss percentage for the Kings last season was their fourth worst in the 78-year history of the franchise. The team deemed it best to move on from the respected veteran with the thought that DeRozan will look to join a contender for the tail end of his NBA career.
Sacramento’s woes last season certainly weren’t due to DeRozan’s play as he was his usual steady, productive self. Despite playing the second-fewest minutes per game of his career (31.2), DeRozan still averaged 18.4 points on 49.7 percent shooting. He was the model of consistency for the franchise, as opposed to his much younger teammates who struggled to stay on the court.
DeRozan started all 77 games he played in, while fellow Kings Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, and Sabonis combined to start just 74 games. Last year was simply par for the course for DeRozan, as no player has started more games over the last decade than he has. He also ranks second in games played and third in points scored among all NBA players since 2016.
A six-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection, DeRozan will presumably join his fifth NBA franchise this offseason. Prior to Sacramento, he spent three years with the Chicago Bulls, which followed three seasons with the San Antonio Spurs. The bulk of his career was spent north of the border as DeRozan spent his first nine years with the Toronto Raptors after being the No. 9 overall pick in the 2009 draft, out of USC.
Entering the 2026-27 season, DeRozan has racked up 26,711 career points, making him the league’s fifth-highest active scorer after James, Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook. He currently ranks 16th on the all-time scoring list and surpassed such names as Kevin Garnett, John Havlicek, and Tim Duncan with his scoring last season.
Last year he also became the 13th player in league history to accumulate 25,000 points, 5,000 rebounds, and 5,000 assists.
With his résumé, DeRozan profiles as a future Hall of Famer, meaning the Kings may lose two Hall of Famers in one offseason. Westbrook spent last year in Sacramento on a one-year deal. He’s also a free agent, and all signs point to Sacramento not bringing him back.
Sacramento will retain the services of two-time All-Star LaVine, who exercised his player option for the upcoming season. The team still has Sabonis, a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection himself. However, the youth movement is underway for the Kings, who added perimeter players Darius Acuff Jr. and Alex Karaban from the first round of last month’s NBA Draft and have a pair of promising second-year players in Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud.
As for DeRozan’s future, he could be the fallback option for the various teams who are chasing James in hoping to land the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Perhaps even a return to the Toronto Raptors is in the cards, which would allow him to team up with the player he was originally traded for, Kawhi Leonard.
With the money that Sacramento will still be paying him, DeRozan likely won’t require as much as his production warrants, which could make him a bargain signing. The 17-year veteran has garnered over $305 million in NBA salary earnings over his career, 20th-most in league history.
