DeMar DeRozan has been putting on a big disappearing act this post season, but when asked about the impact on free agency, he said that he wasn’t worried about it. Of course, with the playoffs in full swing, you don’t want to hear one of the star player’s on the team say that he’s seriously stressing about the off-season. So, some may think that he’s just saying this to avoid saying the wrong thing, or he could actually not be worried.
Via Michael Lee of The Vertical:
“I feel like I have nothing to worry about,” DeRozan said of his pending free agency. “I take it day by day, whatever happens. I’m not even looking towards then. I’m thinking about the next game and trying to figure out that.”
The truth of the matter is that DeRozan actually doesn’t have anything to worry about when the free agency period rolls around. Yes, we all know that he hasn’t been playing anywhere near the level he played in the regular season while playing in the post season, but he still had one of his best seasons yet to help the Raptors achieve their best season ever. He raised his shooting percentages and even has improved his playmaking ability. There are plenty of teams out there who need a person like DeRozan on their team, and many of them will be willing to throw a max contract at him.
If that wasn’t enough, let’s take into account that this year’s free agency class is quite weak after Kevin Durant. When it comes to the free agent swingmen, the names out there other than DeRozan and Durant are Harrison Barnes, Nicolas Batum, and Chandler Parsons. After seeing a list like that, the idea of a team signing DeRozan to a max contract isn’t that far-fetched. A starting shooting guard that averages 23-4-4 is not a player that someone will pass up if drastic improvements are needed.
Say these problems in the playoffs persist, then he may want to start worrying when it comes time to sign his next contract.
