San Antonio Spurs wing DeMar DeRozan intends to decline his player option for the 2020-21 season if he and the Spurs can’t come to agreement on an extension, per Yahoo! Sports Chris Haynes.
DeRozan has a player option for $27.7 million for next season. Declining the option would make him an unrestricted free agent in July.
For his part, DeRozan denied reports that he’s made any decisions about his future:
DeMar DeRozan, on report during TNT broadcast he would opt out this summer if he and the Spurs don't come to an agreement on an extension: "Did my momma say it? Then don't listen to it."
— Jeff McDonald (@JMcDonald_SAEN) March 11, 2020
DeRozan also recently said about an extension: “That doesn’t even cross my mind, honestly, unless somebody brings it up to me or I see it. That’s not my main focus. My main focus is to get ready for (the next game).”
The Spurs acquired DeRozan, along with Jakob Poeltl and a 2019 first-round pick, in the summer of 2018 in exchange for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. In his two years in San Antonio, DeRozan has averaged 21.6 points per game. This season, DeRozan is shooting a career-high 52.6% from the field.
In a summer with few marquee free agents, DeRozan would be one of the better available swingmen on the market. Haynes reports that DeRozan won’t rule out a return to San Antonio if he declines his option, but that it would open the door for him to leave the Spurs. The New York Knicks are expected to have interest in the 11-year veteran per Haynes.
New York, along with the Atlanta Hawks and Detroit Pistons, is one of only a few teams expected to have max cap space available this summer. Under new President of Basketball Operations Leon Rose, the Knicks could see DeRozan as a player capable of leading the team back to the postseason.
