The inevitable has finally happened as the Sacramento Kings have waived DeMar DeRozan. This makes him one of the most interesting free agents available right now. It also leaves the Kings with a second open roster spot, one that they will need to fill before the regular season starts.
Just in: The Sacramento Kings are waiving DeMar DeRozan, making the six-time All-Star one of the top free agents, sources tell ESPN. The sides worked collaboratively on this resolution after exploring trade routes. pic.twitter.com/IsSZXhV4An
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 6, 2026
Everyone knew that DeRozan was leaving the Kings one way or another this offseason. He was unhappy. They were unhappy. Plus, he was a relatively inexpensive option to waive. That being said, DeRozan should have also been someone Sacramento could trade. That didn't happen.
It's not because no one is interested in DeRozan. The Heat, Spurs, Raptors, and more have all been tied to him in recent weeks. But trading for him meant taking on his existing contract, which was worth at least $10 million. Waiting until the Kings waived him will let another team get him for less.
Since the Kings couldn't get a trade going, it made sense to waive DeRozan and stretch his salary over the next three seasons. That also puts him in a prime position to take full advantage of free agency and find a good team, hopefully a contender that can help him get a ring before retirement.
With DeRozan moving, the Kings now have options
DeRozan's departure also has a big impact on the Kings. The waiver has officially pushed Sacramento under both salary cap penalty aprons, meaning they have financial room to maneuver for the first time in a long time. It also means they have another open spot on the main roster to work with.
The Kings currently have 13 players signed to regular contracts as well as three players under two-way contracts. That gives the Kings two roster spots and salary cap space to work with. Naturally, they'll be paying close attention to the Summer League to make these decisions.
Sacramento's two most obvious options are to sign a combination of Isaiah Stevens, Jonathan Mogbo, and Adam Flagler to the two standard NBA contracts. Then, they can use the remaining two-way contracts to pick up a pair of standout developmental players from the Summer League.
Financially, waiving DeRozan doesn't have the impact of trading Domantas Sabonis or Zach LaVine, but it still gives the Kings actual flexibility. That's something they haven't had in several years, which gives their rebuild process the chance to continue growing and making moves towards the future.
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