Longtime Clippers Target May Finally Be Coming to LA in Free Agency

The Clippers are still trying to bring the hometown hero to LA in the dawn of his career.

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What the Los Angeles Clippers will do this offseason remains a mystery. Sure, they ideally want to keep building around Darius Garland and Kawhi Leonard, but what opportunities they will have to upgrade the roster around them is unclear. Plus, there is the ongoing league investigation into the Clippers' cap circumvention allegations, which complicates matters for LA heading into the draft, free agency, and the trade market.

Yet, we are still getting a better idea of who they may be targeting. According to the latest reporting by HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, a longtime Clippers target, DeMar DeRozan, may finally be headed to LA this summer.

DeMar DeRozan Continues to Be a Clippers Target

Per Scotto, the Sacramento Kings are expected to waive-and-stretch DeRozan to avoid being over the first apron. Only $10 million of DeRozan's $25.7 million salary for next season is guaranteed, which means that the Kings can move on from him by spreading that over the next three years. This would help lower their tax bill and make the veteran scorer a free agent.

Before this can happen, the Kings have to make sure that they absolutely can't trade DeRozan. Once this possibility is exhausted, Sacramento will have no choice but to waive the soon-to-be 37-year-old. Since it's difficult to imagine that DeRozan will draw significant interest on the trade market for his full salary amount, the most likely scenario will be signing with the Clippers in the offseason.

Scotto said that the Clippers will certainly have interest in the California native. This is hardly surprising, as there have been multiple transaction periods where the Clippers went after DeRozan but failed to acquire him. At this stage of his career, a return home should be highly desirable and would be an ideal final chapter in DeRozan's illustrious NBA tenure.

Whether this is a good idea for the Clippers depends on the contract they sign with DeRozan. If he is on a one-year, veteran minimum type of deal, DeRozan would be an ideal fit. If he is willing to come off the bench and be a microwave scorer, the Clippers could do much worse than the six-time All-Star.

As a starter who will play extended minutes and close games for the Clippers, however, DeRozan's fit would be questionable. He is a poor off-ball player who still doesn't shoot any threes. He creates significant spacing problems when playing next to Garland and Leonard. Plus, he is one of the worst defenders of his position, putting even more burden on the rest of the starters.

If DeRozan hopes to get paid and have the ball in his hands like the All-Star he was earlier in his career, the Clippers must be careful about bringing him on. If he buys into a sixth man role, however, the Clippers could certainly use his offensive firepower.

He could also be insurance for Bennedict Mathurin. If there is a strong offer for him in restricted free agency, the Clippers will find it easier to let him walk if they have DeRozan.

Clippers fans should keep an eye on Sacramento over the next week. If a DeRozan trade isn't announced, it's safe to assume that he may be headed to LA when the dust settles.