DeMar DeRozan To Decline Player Option, Become Free Agent

[RealGM Wiretap]

DeMar DeRozan intends to decline his $27.7 million player option if he and the San Antonio Spurs are unable to agree to an extension by the late June deadline.

DeRozan would become one of the most high profile unrestricted free agents on the market.

DeRozan could return to the Spurs if he becomes a free agent, but he could also sign with a team like the New York Knicks who are expected to express interest.

DeRozan is in his second season with the Spurs following a trade from the Toronto Raptors. 

Via Chris Haynes/Yahoo! Sports

[nedleeds]

"DeRozan would become one of the most high profile unrestricted free agents on the market.


DeRozan could return to the Spurs if he becomes a free agent, but he could also sign with a team like the New York Knicks who are expected to express interest."

- Demars Agent Looking to get Paid on a New contract

I love how every agent thinks the Knicks are still the more idiotic org in the league. They just hired Leon Rose ... they just burned the #3 pick on RJ Barrett who is the same basic player, a wing that can't shoot 3's and bounces around at the rim and gets fouled. Rj can play defense though, and Derozan can actually make his free throws.

[timstrasser]

My bet is he goes back to Toronto. He never wanted to leave and they are a great fit for him with the current players and playing style. He'd be welcomed back with open arms.

[LashLarue]

Sorry but the Raps don't want him at a salary remotely close to what he's turning down on his option with the spurs.

[jlokine]

My bet is he goes back to Toronto. He never wanted to leave and they are a great fit for him with the current players and playing style. He'd be welcomed back with open arms.

i doubt it... pretty sure he is bitter at masai about the separation.. and also, masai wouldnt want to blow up cap space if he wants to be in on the giannis sweepstakes... derozan wouldnt opt out of a player option to accept a 1 yr deal.

[720]

My bet is he goes back to Toronto. He never wanted to leave and they are a great fit for him with the current players and playing style. He'd be welcomed back with open arms.

Lol HELL NO!

[circa70]

So the spurs will end up with Keldon Johnson & Jakob Poeltl for Kawhi. Could have had BI, Kuz, Hart, Zo and a ton of draft picks or SGA, Gallo, Trez and a ton of draft picks.

[Pickled Prunes]

Makes sense... he'll get paid (4/110ish). Long term security.

[Pickled Prunes]

So the spurs will end up with Keldon Johnson & Jakob Poeltl for Kawhi. Could have had BI, Kuz, Hart, Zo and a ton of draft picks or SGA, Gallo, Trez and a ton of draft picks.

They'll probably either re-sign him, sign/trade or trade/extend him. So they may end up with more before it's over... and anything is better than a player getting paid to not-even-watch from home.

[jason bourne]

So the spurs will end up with Keldon Johnson & Jakob Poeltl for Kawhi. Could have had BI, Kuz, Hart, Zo and a ton of draft picks or SGA, Gallo, Trez and a ton of draft picks.

It's not that straightforward. The Spurs didn't want to make their Western conference rivals better. They may have made a mistake not taking the Lakers seriously but Kawhi wasn't what was offered for AD. Magic was the Lakers dealerman and it was different.

[circa70]

So the spurs will end up with Keldon Johnson & Jakob Poeltl for Kawhi. Could have had BI, Kuz, Hart, Zo and a ton of draft picks or SGA, Gallo, Trez and a ton of draft picks.

It's not that straightforward. The Spurs didn't want to make their Western conference rivals better. They may have made a mistake not taking the Lakers seriously but Kawhi wasn't what was offered for AD. Magic was the Lakers dealerman and it was different.

The Spurs rivals still got better and now they're left with a bottom feeding team with zero assets to show for it. Kawhi said he wanted to go to either LA team so both were willing to give the farm for him. That's why I'm a believer in taking the best offer regardless.

[circa70]

So the spurs will end up with Keldon Johnson & Jakob Poeltl for Kawhi. Could have had BI, Kuz, Hart, Zo and a ton of draft picks or SGA, Gallo, Trez and a ton of draft picks.

They'll probably either re-sign him, sign/trade or trade/extend him. So they may end up with more before it's over... and anything is better than a player getting paid to not-even-watch from home.

Who's going to give anything of value to the spurs especially if he's unrestricted? They could resign him but would you want all your Cap tied to DeRozan. He's nice but... ask Raptors fans

[Ballerhogger]

Yup Pop really made a bad choice for petty reasons.

[VancouverRaps]

So the spurs will end up with Keldon Johnson & Jakob Poeltl for Kawhi. Could have had BI, Kuz, Hart, Zo and a ton of draft picks or SGA, Gallo, Trez and a ton of draft picks.

It's not that straightforward. The Spurs didn't want to make their Western conference rivals better. They may have made a mistake not taking the Lakers seriously but Kawhi wasn't what was offered for AD. Magic was the Lakers dealerman and it was different.

Turned out to be a moot point though, seems like Kawhi was set on coming to LA eventually. Spurs took the lesser package just to delay Kawhi's LA arrival by 1 year. Unless they were worried that the Lakers would somehow still end up acquiring a 3rd star like AD to join LeBron and Kawhi too (I'm not sure how they'd still have the assets for that though), then I respect them for saving the competitive balance in the NBA at their own team's cost.

[Barcs]

OMG, 90% chance he teams up with Giannis and goes to Knicks, LOL!!!

[popfan]

The NY media seems bored. "If DeMar doesn't extend, then he's coming to the Knicks!!"
Why would a young man who suffers from depression agree to play for the Knicks and their abusive, racist owner? Alex Abrines who plays for Barcelona and suffers from depression recently was quoted as saying there is more to life than money, when asked about leaving the NBA for Euroleague.

What's more interesting to discuss is would DeMar play for Duncan? If not, where would he go?

[TheBoi10]

My bet is he goes back to Toronto. He never wanted to leave and they are a great fit for him with the current players and playing style. He'd be welcomed back with open arms.

Pure lies, Toronto has no interest welcomeing back DeChucker. We have better players.

[Elnegron]

Spurs turned down bam, winslow and Richardson for 2 average derozan seasons? Lol

[Psubs]

Spurs turned down bam, winslow and Richardson for 2 average derozan seasons? Lol

Was Bam really offered? Doubt it. Maybe Richardson, Winslow, Waiters and Olynyk. Well, they got Butler for Richardson.

[Pickled Prunes]

So the spurs will end up with Keldon Johnson & Jakob Poeltl for Kawhi. Could have had BI, Kuz, Hart, Zo and a ton of draft picks or SGA, Gallo, Trez and a ton of draft picks.

They'll probably either re-sign him, sign/trade or trade/extend him. So they may end up with more before it's over... and anything is better than a player getting paid to not-even-watch from home.

Who's going to give anything of value to the spurs especially if he's unrestricted? They could resign him but would you want all your Cap tied to DeRozan. He's nice but... ask Raptors fans

1) Anyone that wants DeRozan but doesn't have cap space will be obliged to S&T.

2) There are currently 45 players making $25M+ and several more that soon will be. TOR fans can hate all they want, but DeRozan is clearly a top 50 player so the market tells us he's worth his contract. It's OK that some people don't understand that he is a good player anymore. Those people won't be signing his checks.