DeMar DeRozan Wants Out of Sacramento and the Kings Have Every Reason to Let Him Go

DeMar DeRozan has been around long enough to know when a situation is dead. And right now, the six-time All-Star sees the writing on the wall in Sacramento.

According to Yahoo! Sports’ Kelly Iko, DeRozan is hoping to speed up his departure from the Kings, whether that means getting waived and hitting the open market or being traded before the season gets going. He’s owed $25 million next season with only $10 million guaranteed, which makes him a pretty easy contract to move off of if the front office decides to go young and cheap.

The Kings won 22 games last year. That’s not a rebuild. That’s a demolition. They’ve made the playoffs once in the last 20 years. Once. And now with the team pivoting toward clearing cap space and starting over, DeRozan doesn’t want to be the veteran presence on a roster going nowhere.

The fit was always awkward

DeRozan signed with Sacramento thinking they had something cooking. They didn’t. The Kings rolled out a disjointed offense, no real defensive identity, and enough roster turnover to make anyone dizzy. DeRozan still put up 18.4 points a game on 49.7% shooting with 4.1 assists and a steal. But that production felt hollow on a lottery team.

Now at 37 years old, DeRozan doesn’t have years to waste. He wants to play meaningful basketball, and the Clippers have reportedly shown interest. With Kawhi Leonard shipped to Toronto, Los Angeles has a hole on the wing and a need for a closer who can still get buckets in the fourth quarter. DeRozan fits that description better than most free agents out there.

Rival executives expect the Kings to waive and stretch DeRozan, according to Iko’s reporting. That would let Sacramento spread his cap hit over multiple years and give DeRozan the freedom to sign wherever he wants. It’s the cleanest break for both sides.

What’s next for DeRozan and the Kings

Sacramento has been stuck in neutral for so long that even their fans barely react to bad news anymore. Moving on from DeRozan won’t shock anyone. It’s just the next step in what looks like a long, painful reset.

For DeRozan, a move to a contender like the Clippers would give him a chance to remind people he’s still one of the most reliable mid-range scorers in the league. He’s not the athlete he used to be, but he’s smarter. He reads defenses. He knows where to be when the shot clock is running down.

Whether it’s Los Angeles or another team, DeRozan is done with Sacramento. And honestly, the Kings are probably done with him too.