DeMar DeRozan has become a household name in the NBA. Throughout the first 17 years of his career, he’s been one of the most consistent scorers the game as ever seen.
He’s one of just six players in NBA history to have scored at least 20.0 points per game in 12 consecutive seasons. And, he ranks No. 16 on the NBA’s all-time scoring list (26,711).
Despite his scoring prowess, the now 37-year-old guard is currently without a job. He became an unrestricted free agent after being released from the Sacramento Kings on July 6 of this year. He was shown the door with the Kings looking to shed payroll. Just $10 million of his three-year, $76.9 million contract remained guaranteed.
Announcement Sparks Cavaliers, DeMar DeRozan Conversation
Many teams have been rumored to be interested in bringing in the six-time All-Star. Some of those franchises include the Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, and Cleveland Cavaliers. But after a possibly overlooked detail was announced Sunday morning, the Cavaliers signing DeRozan is picking up steam.
According to Etienne Catalan, a known primary source for up-to-date NBA jersey information, Mario Hezonja, now of the Cavaliers, will be switching his jersey number from 10 to 33. He posted this at 6:20 a.m. EDT on his official X account (@EtienneCatalan).
Why is this an important announcement? And what does this have to do with DeRozan potentially signing with the Cavaliers?
DeRozan has spent his time in the NBA with four different teams. While playing for three of them, the Raptors, Kings, and San Antonio Spurs, he’s worn the No. 10. The only exception came when he played for the Chicago Bulls and wore No. 11. Zach Weiss of Sports Illustrated had the original story on the DeRozan, Cavaliers speculation.
Would Cavaliers Be Good Fit For DeRozan?
The Cavaliers are in an interesting position this offseason. After finishing with the second-best-record in the Eastern Conference last season (52-30), they got swept by the eventual NBA champion, New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.
They have now been eliminated from the Eastern Conference Finals in three consecutive seasons. They’re certainly looking for a way to get over the hump but have a lot of unanswered questions before turning their focus towards an NBA Finals appearance.
As solid of a scorer DeRozan has proven to be, the Cavaliers have bigger issues to address on their roster. James Harden, 36, declined his player option of $42.3 million with the Cavaliers this offseason. Harden and the Cavaliers are reportedly working on a new contract to keep him with the team.
DeRozan would also need to adjust to a new role on a team like the Cavaliers. If Harden signs with the team, DeRozan would be on the outside looking in on the starting lineup. The projected starting lineup would consist of Harden, Mitchell, Max Strus, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen.
While the Hezonja jersey-number-change is an intriguing breadcrumb in the NBA world, time will tell if there’s any substance behind this announcement. Until then, Cavaliers fans will continue to believe.
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