The San Antonio Spurs consider DeMar DeRozan to be an important part of their core for as long as Gregg Popovich continues to coach the team, and they are looking to sign him to a long-term deal before the season.
DeRozan’s can opt out of his current contract after the upcoming season, and Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that he has had discussion with the Spurs about signing a max extension. The 30-year-old become eligible this summer for a max extension that would pay him roughly $140 million over four years. He is currently in the fourth year of a five-year, $139 million contract he signed with the Toronto Raptors, and it includes a player option for the 2020-21 season that would pay DeRozan $27.7 million.
While a new four-year deal would average $35 million per season and represent a significant raise for DeRozan, the thought of becoming a free agent when the salary cap jumps even further could appeal to him.
Charania reports that DeRozan appears to have improved his shooting this summer, and the belief is that he will benefit from having a full offseason to further familiarize himself with Popovich’s system. DeRozan averaged 21.2 points, 6.2 assists and 6.0 rebounds in his first season with the Spurs last year, but he may have been holding back a bit at times in an attempt to conform to the system. If the Spurs value him enough to sign him to a max extension, they may give him more freedom to play his own game going forward.
