One of the biggest names still being talked about in free agency is DeMar DeRozan. A former All-Star, DeRozan has yet to find a new team after being let go by the Sacramento Kings in July.
DeRozan, 37, remains a strong scoring option despite his age. It is believed that DeRozan will land on a team ready to compete for a championship next season. The Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers have been the two most mentioned teams in the DeRozan sweepstakes, with the star forward also generating interest from the Denver Nuggets and Washington Wizards.
Now what about the Toronto Raptors, the team DeRozan spent the first nine years of his career with? Could a reunion be on the horizon? By trading for Kawhi Leonard — although the deal remains frozen as the NBA continues investigations into cap circumvention — the Raptors already showed reunions are their thing.
The Latest on DeMar DeRozan and the Raptors
GettySACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 21: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Sacramento Kings walks to the bench during their game against the Toronto Raptors at Golden 1 Center on January 21, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
If Leonard officially lands in Toronto, the Raptors will firmly be competing for a title next season. They could then also use some scoring off the bench. Through that lens, DeRozan makes sense. According to team insider Doug Smith, the Raptors have had their former franchise superstar on their radar this offseason.
“According to a source close to the beloved former Toronto all-star, DeRozan would welcome a Raptors return “if everything works out,” while other sources — also granted anonymity in order to speak freely on the subject — say the Raptors front office has been thinking about the possibility for some time,” Smith wrote for the Toronto Star.
But Smith warns there are some obstacles in the way of a reunion, starting with whether DeRozan, a six-time All-Star, would be comfortable coming off the bench in Toronto.
“The potential role may be the biggest hurdle,” Smith wrote.
“DeRozan would be a backup for the first time in Toronto, and while people who know him have been working on him to accept it, it’d be a major career shift. And because he’s so close to cracking the top 10 on the NBA career scoring list (about 2,000 points away), not starting — or not even having a featured scoring role off the bench — would put a crimp in the pursuit of a truly memorable accomplishment. He’s enough of a team player to do whatever is needed to win, but the change would take some adjustment.”
The Money Factor
Of the nearly $26 million DeRozan was set to earn next season with the Kings, only $10 million was guaranteed. It is fair to assume that DeRozan will ask teams for something higher than a minimum contract. The Raptors, meanwhile, will struggle to even meet that.
“Regardless, the Raptors wouldn’t have more than the veteran minimum salary to offer — $3.8 million (U.S.) — although another source who has spoken to DeRozan doesn’t think money would be a deal breaker. He stood to earn about $26 million until the Sacramento Kings cut him loose this month,” Smith wrote.
Given the multiple stumbling blocks in the way of a potential DeRozan-Raptors reunion, the chances the six-time All-Star returns to Toronto seems faint at best.
The Heat, meanwhile, have additional roster spots and considerable more financial capital to furnish DeRozan with a higher salary.
Report: Raptors Get Major DeMar DeRozan Reunion Update from Insider