NBA Rumors: The team that has made DeMar DeRozan a priority

Although the NBA calendar is going through one of its quietest moments, the market continues to bring news. With most of the big free agents already off the market, there are still some important names to be resolved and several teams continue to move their pieces in preparation for the 2026-27 season.

Washington wants to leave years of defeats behind

The Washington Wizards have been at the bottom of the Eastern Conference for eight seasons. During this period, they have never surpassed 35 victories and have only made the playoffs once. However, the franchise seems determined to change that dynamic.

Last season, they already acquired Trae Young and Anthony Davis through trades, and now they have set their sights on another former All-Star: DeMar DeRozan.

The veteran forward is still deciding where he will start the next season after being released by the Sacramento Kings. According to journalist Marc Stein, Washington is among the teams interested in acquiring his services, along with other franchises like the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets.

For the Wizards, DeRozan would bring a significant amount of experience to a roster with numerous young players to develop. Last season showed that the lack of veterans capable of providing stability can make things very challenging. Furthermore, his presence would serve as a reference for AJ Dybantsa, chosen with the number 1 pick in the 2026 Draft, and as a safety net in case the player from BYU is not ready to produce immediately.

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Mathurin keeps several options open

Bennedict Mathurin is, along with Peyton Watson and Jalen Duren, one of the three most relevant restricted free agents still waiting to decide their future.

His situation has received less attention than Watson's, in part because the Los Angeles Clippers, his team last season, seem to be waiting for Watson's scenario to unfold before deciding whether to bet on Mathurin again.

Marc Stein has provided new clues about the player's future. The Clippers are still a possibility, even after renewing Bradley Beal, but Mathurin is also firmly on the radar of the New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, and Milwaukee Bucks.

So far, Mathurin has performed better as a sixth man due to his scoring inconsistency and difficulty in consistently contributing in other aspects of the game. However, at 24 years old, he still has room to evolve and, in the right environment, could become a player capable of holding a starting position regularly.

Westbrook rejected a two-year offer before retiring

Russell Westbrook decided last week to end his career after 18 seasons in the NBA. In the video where he announced his retirement, he stated that he did so on his own terms.

However, there were doubts about whether this was really the case, considering he was an unrestricted free agent at the time and there was no information indicating serious interest from other teams in the former MVP.

It is now known that he did have an offer on the table. According to Marc Stein, the Washington Wizards offered him a two-year contract to return to the franchise where he played in the 2020-21 season.

Westbrook, however, turned down the offer because he disagreed with the terms and the role the team had envisioned for him.

Thus, the point guard decided to end his career before the NBA could force him to do so, staying true to his conditions.

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