DeMar DeRozan, who has been in the NBA for the last 17 years, has his future determined after the Sacramento Kings made their decision known for him.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, DeRozan is expected to agree to a buy-out with the Kings this season, making him a free agent and allowing him to sign a deal with any contender.
However, there is a caveat about DeRozan’s future. Per Fischer, DeRozan’s market could come down to his willingness to sign a veteran minimum deal.
His market will be dependent on if he is willing to sign for the veterans minimum
DeRozan is 36 years old. During the 2025-26 season with the Kings, he played 77 games, averaging 18.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists while shooting 49.7% from the field before he was shut down due to a right hamstring injury.
It was his lowest scoring average since 2013, when he was still a budding star with the Toronto Raptors.
Still, DeRozan is considered one of the best scorers in the league. He ranks 18th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list after last season. He currently stands as the fifth-highest scorer among active NBA players.
He is on an expiring deal that pays a $25.74 million base salary for the season, with only $10 million of it guaranteed.
The Kings finished the 2025-2026 NBA regular season with a 36-46 overall record, tying for 14th in the Western Conference standings
DeMar DeRozan Embraces Uncertainty In The Offseason
GettySacramento Kings DeMar DeRozan dribbles the ball in a game. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
There have been huge uncertainties around DeMar DeRozan’s future in the NBA, but he is embracing that, following his 2025-2026 NBA campaign with the Kings.
“It was like thing after thing after thing,” he said during his end-of-season interview. “Trying to make adjustments in the midst of losing games, frustration, you know, so many emotions. There was definitely a lot going on.”
“The most important part is still being able to play basketball to play the game that you love, winning and the love of the game is the only thing that matters for me.”
DeRozan added that he will be ready for whatever is next for his NBA career.
“At the end of the day, still being able to have this opportunity, you can never take that for granted,” he said.
“I try not to think that way. I just try to worry about day by day. Whatever comes next, I’m gonna be ready for whatever it is.”
What Are The Teams Rumored To Pursue DeMar DeRozan In Free Agency
GettySacramento Kings’ DeMar DeRozan during a game against the Los Angeles Clippers in December 2025
DeMar DeRozan has some interest from various squads as he is expected to enter free agency anytime soon.
According to various rumors, teams that have been heavily linked are the LA Clippers and the Toronto Raptors, the team that drafted him and where he first made his name.
With the Clippers, he would be a veteran addition to a team that has been looking to get younger across its roster.
With the Raptors, DeRozan will be reunited with a city that once adored him for over a decade. He would also play alongside Kawhi Leonard, the player the Raptors traded for in 2019 in exchange for him.
DeMar DeRozan Future In The NBA Revealed After Sacramento Kings Drop News