DeMar DeRozan is hoping to play for a little bit more than the veteran’s minimum next season.
The six-time NBA All-Star forward DeRozan wants exception money from a new team, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald reported on Wednesday. Jackson notes that DeRozan has drawn interest from the Miami Heat but adds that the Heat would like to save their exception money for now.
When it comes to DeRozan’s status, that would mean that he is holding out for the midlevel exception, the biannual exception, or the room exception. The non-taxpayer’s midlevel (for teams below the first apron of the luxury tax) is worth roughly $15 million for next season, and the taxpayer’s midlevel (for teams in between the first and second aprons) is worth about $6 million. Teams in the second apron have no access to any of these exceptions.
The biannual exception (worth roughly $5.5 million for next season) is also available for teams over the salary cap but under the first apron. Meanwhile, the room exception is available exclusively for teams operating below the salary cap and is worth an estimated $9.4 million for next season.
As for DeRozan, now 37 years old, his veteran’s minimum for next season would be worth about $3.9 million. But because DeRozan is holding out for than that, it could explain why he is still unsigned in free agency (combined with his mileage, his lack of three-point shooting, and his ball-dominant style of play).
The Heat, who are currently perched in the first apron of the luxury tax, only have access to the taxpayer’s midlevel exception. As such, this fellow veteran All-Star looks like a more realistic option for them instead while DeRozan could ultimately try to find a team under the first apron in order to max out his potential payday for 2026-27.
