DeMar DeRozan has the numbers to back his aspirations of getting super-max offers in the near future. He scores over 20 points in every outing for the San Antonio Spurs and contributes more than decent in all aspects of the game. Still, a windfall is unlikely for the shooting guard next summer.
On account of his existing contract with the Spurs, DeRozan will collect $27.7 million in the season, and he is expected to opt-out and enters free agency in 2020. In doing so, it could be that that the Spurs star will run into disappointments.
That's because NBA executives have yet to see DeRozan as worthy of offers that the likes of Kawhi Leonard normally gets. The chance is high, a super-max contract for DeRozan will be hard to come by as a free agent, according to Clutch Points.
"I like DeRozan as my third option, and those type of players are not earning near max-type money," the report quoted an NBA executive as saying, and citing an earlier story from ESPN.
It was made clear, however, that the Spurs star will be among the leading free agents in the market next year. Teams will surely show interest, but it will be a different story on the amount of money that they are willing to pay.
"Unless Atlanta, Charlotte, Cleveland, or Memphis is willing to pay up, the market for the former All-Star could be dry," the report added.
To make matters worse for DeRozan, the Spurs have been on the slide lately and may need to implement changes in order to get back with the winning column. One option for the team is to trade DeRozan despite his significant contributions.
This is likely to play out if the Spurs continue on their losing streak, per the same report.
DeRozan not reaching super-max status can be blamed chiefly on two things, Fadeaway World said in a related report. One is he's now 30, and the numbers serve as a red flag for teams that might be looking to acquire him. It would seem to be a risky investment on their part to sign up DeRozan and pay him big.
Then there is a serious concern on how DeRozan gets things done on the court. The report said DeRozan has opted to stick with his usual game style, and the consensus is he is outdated and unwilling to learn new tricks.
"A reluctant 3-point shooter that gets most of his buckets by means of slashing to the basket or pulling up from mid-range. He rarely even attempts shots from beyond the arc," the same report observed, adding DeRozan is unlikely to flourish keeping on his safe gameplay.
