The Washington Wizards are reportedly in talks with DeMar DeRozan, a six-time All-Star who ranks 16th in NBA history with 26,711 career points and turns 37 in August. This would be a free-agent signing, not a trade. DeRozan averaged 18.4 points on 49.7% shooting across 77 games last season.
The Wizards finished last season 17-65, ranked 28th in offensive rating, 30th in defensive rating and last in net rating. Since then, they have assembled a strange combination of young talent and decorated veterans.
Washington added No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa, who is expected to become the long-term face of the franchise. The Wizards also acquired Trae Young, a four-time All-Star who has averaged more than 25 points and nine assists throughout his career.
Anthony Davis brings an even larger résumé. He is a 10-time All-Star, an NBA champion and a multiple-time All-NBA and All-Defensive selection. Khris Middleton is a three-time All-Star and 2021 NBA champion.
Adding DeRozan would give Washington another accomplished veteran, but it would also make the roster older and more dependent on players whose timelines do not match Dybantsa’s.
Traditional rebuilding teams usually center their plans around young players receiving minutes, making mistakes and gradually developing larger roles.
The Oklahoma City Thunder followed that model by collecting draft assets and developing young players such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren before turning into a contender. Their rise was built largely through drafting and player development.
Houston also gave major roles to young players such as Alperen Şengün and Amen Thompson before adding veterans around them. Orlando followed a similar path by building around Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs.
Washington appears to be attempting something different. The Wizards are placing Dybantsa beside several veterans who are prepared to control the offense immediately.
What a DeRozan signing would mean for the Wizards is not necessarily what most fans think.
In the immediate term, Washington would gain access to an efficient scorer who ranks inside the NBA’s top 20 in career points. DeRozan can create his own shot, operate in the midrange, and provide late-clock or late-game offense when a possession breaks down. He also played 77 games last season, giving Washington a veteran who remained productive and available at age 36.
Those skills could help a team that finished near the bottom of the NBA offensively.
Here is where things become complicated.
The star Washington is supposed to be investing in is Dybantsa, and he will need on-ball opportunities to develop into a primary NBA scorer. Young already requires heavy pick-and-roll and playmaking volume. DeRozan has built his career around isolation possessions and midrange creation. Davis also needs offensive touches, while Middleton remains another veteran wing capable of handling the ball.
There are only so many possessions available.
DeRozan could help Dybantsa by removing pressure and teaching him how to create in the half-court. He could also take away the exact repetitions Dybantsa needs to become Washington’s long-term centerpiece.
If the Wizards continue pursuing DeRozan, the move may not represent the rebuild fans initially expected.
DeRozan remains an efficient scorer and one of the top 20 scorers in league history. However, successful rebuilds such as Oklahoma City’s were built around draft picks and young players’ development.
Washington appears ready to skip that process.
The Wizards may become more competitive immediately, but adding another ball-heavy veteran could also slow the development of the player they selected to define their future.
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