DeMar DeRozan, the former Sacramento Kings star player, averaged 18.4 points on 49.7% shooting while starting 77 games during the 2025-26 season. While he is all set to turn 37 years old in the next few days, DeMar DeRozan has been a force to be reckoned with. After the Sacramento kings waived him last month, the Boston Celtics and the Utah Jazz have been linked to him.
| Category | Details |
| Player | DeMar DeRozan |
| Current Status | Unrestricted Free Agent (Waived by the Sacramento Kings on July 6, 2026, to clear luxury tax) |
| Rumored Teams | Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Utah Jazz, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Denver Nuggets |
| Signing Likelihood | High |
| Latest Insider Update | He is holding direct conversations with teams and seeking a contract in the $8 million to $10 million range; Boston Celtics and Utah Jazz have been linked to him. |
Which teams are interested in DeMar DeRozan?
Ever since the Sacramento Kings waived DeMar DeRozan on 6th July, the Miami Heat have emerged as a logical landing spot for him.Apart from this, as per NBA analysts, Boston Celtics, Utah Jazz, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Denver Nuggets have also been rumored to be eyeing him.
What are insiders saying about the rumors?
A few hours ago, Dan Favale of Bleacher Report noted, “The Celtics have the spacing to cover up for DeRozan’s finite range and could use another secondary table-setter other than Jayson Tatum, Payton Pritchard and Derrick White. Something has gone wrong if Mike Conley is a factor, and Boston can’t count on Paul George to play in every game. Adding DeRozan would put the Celtics back in the tax. That’s a no-go as they look to reset the repeater clock. But they can duck back beneath it with a smaller trade at the deadline or ahead of the 2027 draft.”Dan Favale of Bleacher Report added, “With the Jazz exiting their tanking era, DeRozan can bring on-ball stability off the bench. Keyonte George is good enough to run the show, but a lot is on the shoulders of Isaiah Collier and Darryn Peterson after him. Given how much spacing Utah has in the frontcourt with Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Ace Bailey and Kyle Filipowski, it can afford to field a shaky shooter on the wing. It must open a roster spot to accommodate DeRozan but has more than one player under contract who can be considered expendable.”
How will this impact the teams?
For the Boston Celtics, signing DeMar DeRozan would be pretty affordable because the team trimmed salary to get under the luxury tax. Adding DeMar DeRozan gives the team a reliable scorer and playmaker to help Jayson Tatum off the bench.For the Utah Jazz, signing DeMar DeRozan would be a bit expensive since the team’s recent roster additions have used up their spending power. But DeMar DeRozan will be a highly durable, much-needed veteran presence to mentor young players.