The Washington Wizards could still have a move up their sleeve, specifically with six-time NBA All-Star and three-time First Team All-NBA selection DeMar DeRozan.
DeRozan is heading into his 18th NBA season. He has been around the league, beginning his career with the Toronto Raptors before stints with the (in order) San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, and, most recently, the Sacramento Kings.
The Wizards are exploring whether they could be DeRozan’s next stop.
Wizards Show Interest in DeMar DeRozan
GettyThe Washington Wizards have joined the race to land DeMar DeRozan.
DeRozan, who turns 37 in August, is one of, if not the, top options still available to the Wizards in free agency.
It makes sense, then, that they would at least kick the tires.
“One new team over the last several days that has had some conversations with DeMar DeRozan: the Washington Wizards,” ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on “NBA Today” on July 28. “You think about a team that’s clearly trying to compete around Anthony Davis, Trae Young, and AJ Dybantsa. We’ll see where that goes.”
DeRozan averaged 18.4 points, 4.1assists, and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 49.7% from the floor with a 52% effective field goal rate.
He has earned over $305 million in his career. He has also earned individual accolades, but the top prize has eluded him. That strongly suggests DeRozan’s next team will be one with which he believes he can contend for an NBA championship.
For his career, DeRozan averages a 21.1/4.3/4.1 line with a .471/.302/.843 slash.
He is coming off a three-year, $73.7 million contract and could be expecting similar compensation from his next team.
DeMar DeRozan Comes With Significant Red Flag
GettyThere is something every team has to be wary of with DeMar DeRozan.
DeRozan has never been a three-point shooter, so his low production and efficiency from that range hold less weight than it would for some other players.
However, he also carries the stigma of a player teams cannot win big with.
More specifically, for all of his scoring prowess–and DeRozan is elite at what he does offensively–he possesses the worst playoff plus-minus of all time. He can stagnate other parts of the offense while playing his brand of basketball and is also a poor defender.
The Wizards have built an intriguing collection of talent, but it remains unclear how all of their pieces fit into their grand vision.
Dybantsa, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 draft, is the future for the organization.
But Young, who signed a multi-year extension this offseason, and Davis, who is due for an extension, are very much win-now players. They are not the only ones on the Wizards’ roster either.
Wizards Have Interesting Mix
GettyDeMar DeRozan’s potential fit with the Washington Wizards is unclear.
Khris Middleton is an NBA champion. Deandre Ayton has not lived up to his No. 1 overall pick status so far.
He has shown he can be a contributor on a team that reaches the NBA Finals.
DeRozan, in theory, fits the win-now model better than Dybantsa or fellow youngsters Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, and Tre Johnson. However, the reality of DeRozan has rarely matched the idea. He owns a 21.8/4.7/3.7 line in the postseason.
DeRozan has not been to the postseason since the 2021-22 season with the Bulls, and he has not advanced beyond the first round since 2017-18 with the Raptors.
Wizards Move on $305 Million Six-Time All-Star: Insider