The Steph Curry-led Golden State Warriors might consider exploring a move for DeMar DeRozan, who hit free agency on Monday after the Sacramento Kings failed to find a trade partner. The six-time NBA All-Star couldn’t find much success with his former franchise, failing to make the playoffs.
DeRozan can now choose a team that helps him contend for his first championship, and money is unlikely to be a factor, as most teams don’t have cap space to match his previous salary worth $24.6 million. Golden State needs dynamic scorers to support Curry, especially amid Jimmy Butler’s foreseeable absence, and DeRozan could be a solid option on a team-friendly salary.
According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, the Warriors will “look into” DeRozan in the coming days.
“The Warriors, I’ve already been told, [DeMar DeRozan] is a guy they’ll look into at some point in the coming days, especially if they don’t get LeBron James,” Slater said on Monday on SportsCenter.
The rumor divided the Warriors’ fan base. Some were high on DeRozan’s talent, but a few felt he wouldn’t move the needle as much and Golden State must aim higher to give Steph Curry another shot at a championship.
“Steph never winning a ring again,” one fan said.
More reactions followed.
Another insider suggests DeMar DeRozan might choose Raptors, Heat over joining Steph Curry’s Warriors
NBA insider Jake Fischer suggested on Monday that DeMar DeRozan could reunite with the Toronto Raptors or join the Miami Heat. Fischer cited factors such as DeRozan’s social media activity after shouting out former Raptors teammate Kyle Lowry’s cryptic post hinting at a reunion with Toronto, with Kawhi Leonard also returning via trade.
“He [DeRozan] has on social media started to put out some type of messaging that maybe he’d be interested in a reunion up north with Toronto in the middle of this Raptors renaissance, where Kawhi [Leonard] gets traded back to the Raptors and Kyle Lowry signs a one-day deal to go retire with the franchise that he won a 2019 championship with.”
However, Fischer didn’t rule out a Miami move for DeRozan, saying:
“Miami has always been a sport that we know DeMar DeRozan has had an eye on in the past, potentially getting waived, potentially becoming a free agent and going. DeMar, I think, had a lot of interest in going to Miami before he signed with Sacramento a couple years ago.”
Both teams would make sense for DeRozan, as they could get him a real shot at his first finals and title run. The Raptors, in particular, stand out, as they have Kawhi Leonard leading a young roster, with Scottie Barnes as his deputy.
DeRozan can be a crucial bench piece on that team, or plausibly even as the starting shooting guard if the Raptors move on from RJ Barrett via trade.
Steph Curry’s Warriors don’t present the same appeal for DeMar DeRozan as their roster is clunky and has aging stars across the board. The Western Conference is also more difficult to compete in with the 2025 champions, the OKC Thunder, and the 2026 NBA finalists, the San Antonio Spurs, seemingly having the upper hand on every other team.Read more:
Read more:
- LeBron James Makes Himself Unavailable For Meetings in Free Agency, Counts on Rich Paul For Grunt Work: Report
- Nikola Jokic Shuts Down Trade Rumors With Unwavering Commitment To Nuggets
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
