DeMar DeRozan is running out of NBA options for a very strange reason

We're pretty deep into August, and DeMar DeRozan is still without a team. This is a six-time All-Star coming off 18 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds per game through 77 starts last season. The former Spurs forward may not be a championship centerpiece, but he can certainly help a team win in the right circumstances.

He just hasn't had them in a while. DeRozan turned 37 on the seventh of this month. The pressure of the CBA-enforced apron restrictions seems to be forcing teams to decide whether his offensive production outweighs the limits of his age and playstyle. But that will truly come down to which rosters we're talking about, which brings us to what I believe the bigger problem is.

It's not about whether DeMar can still hoop. That's evident. It's more about whether he wants to play for the organizations that actually need what he provides.

DeRozan's free-agent market is a puzzle

Deebo makes sense for a contender that needs another scorer who can create shots for himself and others. But those teams generally have less room for a high-usage veteran who isn't going to be a primary option. That's where his inability to stretch the floor becomes a huge problem.

His lack of three-point volume eliminates space rather than providing it, and space is everything in today's NBA. If you don't have it, defenses are too good, and the best ones will suffocate your offense. Winning anything of significance becomes next to impossible unless you have a special defense of your own, and he's never been one to provide that either.

At this point in his career, the veteran minimum is possible for him. It may be hard to accept, knowing what he can still do with the ball in his hands, but the current game isn't suited for that. A few teams have reportedly been interested—Miami, Denver, and Cleveland, but he remains unsigned. Why?

Maybe because a team like the Wizards is also interested. Could he get more money from them and possibly a larger role? Anything is on the table when Washington is involved. You never know what they'll do.

DeRozan may have to choose between money and winning

Even with that possibility, does DeRozan trust that the Wizards will turn things around with Anthony Davis, Trae Young, and AJ Dybantsa as their cornerstones? He's coming off two unsuccessful stints in Chicago and Sacramento. He may be hesitant to trust an organization with another poor track record.

It's understandable if he'd rather go with a legitimate path to contention. But this is all speculation on my part. There's no way to know what's going on with DeRozan joining another team. What I do know is that it's weird to see him not on one with training camp a little over a month away.

Deebo wasn't able to bring a title to San Antonio during his three years in a silver and black uniform, but he's still worthy of respect. DeRozan gave his all and treated the city and organization with respect. So, when he leaves the NBA, most of Spurs Nation would rather it be on his terms. That's not whatever this is right now, and hopefully, that gets resolved soon.

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